Cookbook InquiryCookbook Inquiry

What is Cookbook Inquiry?What is Cookbook Inquiry?• When you become a teacher, you will find many

lessons to use in your teaching.

• A hands-on lesson does not always mean it’s an inquiry based lesson.

• You will come across many cookbook lessons.

What is Cookbook Inquiry?What is Cookbook Inquiry?• Characteristics of a cookbook lesson

– They limit student exploration (Students should think like scientists not just replicate what they do)

– Gives everything the student needs to “replicate” the experiment, step-by-step

– Students have difficulty constructing the meaning of the lab

Turning a cookbook lab into inquiryTurning a cookbook lab into inquiry

So what can you do???

• Don’t get rid of the “cookbook” lab…change it!!

Your MissionYour Mission• Your mission is to take the 5 lesson plans that you brought

with you tonight and number from 1-6 somewhere on the lesson (the back will be fine – leave space in between each line)

• You will be in groups of 3-4. You will rotate your lesson plans within your group and each person will write two modifications you can make to the lesson to make it more inquiry.

• You will also write on each lesson the unifying science concept that applies.

Tips to turn cookbook into inquiryTips to turn cookbook into inquiry - Do the lab before teaching the unit, not at the end (this is a

great way to introduce new vocabulary)

- Do a KWL chart, come up with a question for students to investigate

- Revise or delete the materials list entirely

- Remove the safety rules and ask that the students put them back in

Tips to turn cookbook into inquiryTips to turn cookbook into inquiry

Delete the procedure section and have the students design the procedure (this requires them to work backwards).

– OR….give the first few steps of the procedure and have the students finish it

– OR….do the student/teacher round robin. Teacher gives the first step in procedure and student the 2nd, teacher, 3rd, and so on

– OR….mix up the steps in the procedure and have students place them in the correct order

Example of mixed up proceduresExample of mixed up procedures

• Reference: Reforming Cookbook Lab located at http://science.nsta.org/bap/pdfs/CookbookLabs.pdf

Tips to turn cookbook into inquiryTips to turn cookbook into inquiry

- Take away the data table or chart and have them determine what data they should be gathering and why.

- Have them present their results using a different format (poster, poem, artwork, rap, dance etc.)

Tips to turn cookbook into inquiryTips to turn cookbook into inquiry

- Include an extension or “Going Further” section where the students are required to pose new Q’s (this can lead to another investigation opportunity based on their questions)

- Have teacher give explanation in paragraph form and have students work backwards to come up with procedures, data table, etc. (open inquiry)

Penny LabPenny Lab

• How could I have made the penny lab more inquiry?

Here’s a cheat sheet to help you…

ReferencesReferences

• Reforming Cookbook Lab located at http://science.nsta.org/bap/pdfs/CookbookLabs.pdf