Christchurch, New Zealand October 2008

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we

borrow it from our children. 

~Native American Proverb

Enviro-InquiryKeeping it Green

at Raglan Area School - CentreNET

Mary-Anne Murphy

Inquiry Learning Facilitator

Objectives of this presentation:

• To gain a shared understanding around why we need Enviro-Inquiry

• To see how it is being developed in a school situation

• To experience part of the Enviro-Inquiry process ourselves.

• To gain an understanding of how it can tie in with other initiatives and thinking tools.

So why is Enviro-Inquiry important?

In pairs create a list of Environmental issues our

students are faced with both now and in the future…

Just some of the issues our young people need to be learning about…

• Influence of media• Global warming• Peak oil• Healthcare• Transport• Food• Employment• Personal relationships

• Learning• Personal finance• Energy• Famine• Global politics• Social equity• War• And what else?

WhyInquiry

Learning?

1Managed

choice:specificcontentwithin alarger

context

2Coherent process

that allows for

Differentiated Learning

3Provides a

vehicle for co-operative

and creative learning

4The journey is

as important as the destination

Confirmation Structured Guided Independent

Problem Student generated

Procedure student generated and designed.

Solution not already known/existing

Levels of Inquiry

Refer: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/wip/four_levels.htm

The Raglan Area School Inquiry Model

Catch

Cluster

Construct

Enviro-Inquiry In Action…

An Enviro-Inquiry with a group of Year 10 students, that centred around China,

utilising KnowledgeNet, internet, email and PowerPoint that integrated many

school professional development initiatives within a tight timeframe.

So what did we do?

And… we also integrated the following curriculum areas…

English

Information Management Social Studies

Firstlywe had to Decide what the current

situation/issues were.

Real

Relevant

Authentic

Challenging

Context

1. Catch their attentionWith a learning partner, list different ways we can provoke students to think about important concepts/issues.

Let’s see how it was done at Raglan Area School with a group of Year 10 students focusing on China

Student driven – Teacher extended

Contextualised analysis of language

Mind map and Cluster ideas, then Construct Key

Questions before going to the computer room

NB: This process can be used as part

of the unit assessment

Cluster Vocabulary

“Find and Explore” using KnowledgeNet, Internet & Library

Students constructed their own questions on paper, then collaboratively modified their questions to allow for

a wider exploration of key issues.

Students then placed their questions on KnowledgeNET Forum, and selected three they wished to pursue.

Teacher looked at the questions then found some relevant, appropriate sites and put them

on KnowledgeNET… students also located other appropriate sites, as well as using Library resources.

Take a look at the students’ questions in the

KnowledgeNET forum, and the sites they were given to

“springboard” from…

The 3 C’s of questioning…

1. Catch… their attention

2. Cluster… their own and new vocabulary

3. Construct… questions

Let’s put the 3 C’s of “Decide” into our own context…

Write down any key words or phrases that come to mind when you view this

video-extract and article:

(One word/phrase per piece of paper)

Cluster Key Words or Phrases

With two others, Cluster the words.

Write a title for each cluster.

Construct questions usingQuestion dice

1. Roll the first dice to create a question.Eg: What is Ethanol?

2. Roll the first then second dice to create a question.Eg: How might the over-reliance on grain-based fuels be overcome?

Or use a question matrix…

Question MatrixIs Did Can Would Will Might

Who

What

Where

When

How

Why

Creating deep questions

1. Share your questions with 2 others.

1. Now sort your questions into “Open” and “Closed”.

3. Next sort your open questions into “Fat” or “Skinny” questions

Input two of your questions into the

“Food vs Fuel”

KnowledgeNET forum.

Turning a question into a Learning Intention…

Question: How might the over-reliance on grain-based fuels be overcome?

Learning Intention: To analyse the current and future fuel options being explored and evaluate which ones would lessen the over-reliance on grain usage.

Now try this with your question/s…refer to your “Bloom’s demonstration verbs” handout.

                                                       

Figure 3: Classifying objectives with the revised taxonomy table

http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/bloomrev/

Back to the students…We have decided our

focus; questions (3C’s) and what resources we

wished to use.

We have linked to sites on KnowledgeNET and found some of our own.

We explored the online and

library-based information

We are here

Possible graphic organisers to aid the Recording process.

• Venn diagrams

• PMI Charts

• KWHL

• Persuasion Map

• Problem-Solution Chart

• ISP Chart (Information, Sources, Page)

• Etc…

Take Action

From there we asked the students to create Power point presentations answering their questions and suggesting possible actions for change. They then combined these as a group proposal.

Presentation

Finding information

Synthesising

70%

25%

5%

What is the current reality?

25%

70%

5%

Presentation

Finding information

Synthesising

How might the new reality look?

Let’s take a look at the students’ Powerpoint Proposals on

KnowledgeNET…

Further Action…

The students then looked at what further actions they could take as a result of their

findings…

• Writing to Amnesty International

• Writing to Environmental organisations

• Choosing to buy Kiwi-Made goods

• Protecting their own environment from pollution and over-capitalisation

Reflect

Reflection on Learning

• Self

• Peer

• Teacher

On certain aspects of the

Process and Product via

Formative and SummativePractices.

Assessment Tools

• Success Criteria• Rubrics• Formative Assessment (Eg: KWHL, Exit Pass)• Arbs• NZCER• AsTTle• National Curriculum Exemplars• Learning Journals / Portfolios – including student

voice and peer reflection

Key Points…

• 3C’s of questioning

• Use real, meaningful contexts and actions

• Integrate thinking and collaborative learning strategies

• Integrate curriculum areas where possible