Last week my peers and I were tasked with creating and implementing a lesson using the Inquiry Based Instructional method. So what is inquiry based instruction (IBI)?
Well, according to Warner and Myers, Inquiry-based teaching is a teaching method that combines the curiosity of students and the scientific method to enhance the development of critical thinking skills while learning science.
Ideally in an IBI lesson students are given a task or question and they have to use their prior knowledge, critical thinking skills, and resources to complete the task or solve the question. Often times, while students are inquiring they pose more questions and they continue to create new ideas, and explanations. Students have the opportunity to drive their learning through the processes for exploration and questioning.
Now to the good stuff...how did I used lingerie to teach?
On Wednesday, I decided to teach a lab on the digestive system, specifically a swine's digestive system. The 'inquiry' question I posed to my students was, "How does food move through a Swine's digestive system?"
First I divided my 4 students (peers) into 2 groups. As a group they were given a lab sheet and asked to create a hypothesis for this question. After I signed off on an "if, then" hypothesis statement, the groups had to make a procedure list as to how they were going to test and demonstrate the hypothesis. Once the groups got started I displayed an image of a swine's digestive system on the white board, to alleviate any frustrations that may have been brewing. The only instructions I gave my students was to use as many or as little supplied lab materials as they felt were needed to demonstrate the answer to the posed question. The lab supplies that each group received was a: Tupperware container, a large spoon, scissors, 2 Ziploc sandwich bags,6 saltine crackers, a mini can of root beer, a cup of milk, and last but not least the lingerie... a NYLON! (you were thinking of something skimpier weren't you?...Tricked ya!)
Once the groups created a procedure list, they began to test their hypothesis to answer the question of "How does food move through the digestive system?"
Both of my groups answered this question in different ways. The way I interpreted the lab supplies was to use one sandwich bag as the mouth. I added saltine crackers into the 'mouth' and poured milk into the bag to represent saliva. The teeth became my hands as I crushed the crackers. Once they were smaller in shape they traveled through the esophagus and into the stomach which was the second sandwich bag. Once in the stomach, stomach acids or the soda broke down the food into even smaller pieces. Stomach muscles (my hands) also broke down the food even more. Next using a spoon, the food was passed to the small intestines or the sexy nylon. Once in the nylon (using my hand I kept the food near the top of the nylon) the nutrients or liquids was absorbed into the body (squeezed out of the nylon). The food then traveled down the nylon or small intestines into the large intestines where the remaining food became solid waste material. Then the food passed through the rectum and left the body through the anus (cut the nylon to expose solid waste or mushy crackers).
The interesting part for me as the teacher was to hear the questions my students were posing to themselves? First we needed to think of what is digestion? Where does it occur? How do all of these compartments (mouth, esophagus, small/large intestines, etc.) work together to move food through the system? What does the soda represent?
And at, this point, when my students were forming all of these questions and creating interesting digestive systems with their materials I realized the value of Inquiry Based Instruction.
The Positives
- I thoroughly enjoyed this lab! After reflecting on my thoughts, my students, and my professors evaluation I feel good about my ability to implement IBI in my future classroom. My students loved the activity and I feel as though it was very helpful in demonstrating the digestive system.
- I feel as though I continue to grow with my presence in front of the class and my confidence increases with each week.
- I am getting better at clarity of instruction and posing questions to my students.
Improvement for Next Time
- IBI requires science. I need to incorporate more scientific aspects into my IBI.
- I need to ask higher order thinking questions.
Overall, I feel good about IBI and my abilities to implement it into my agricultural curriculum.
Ms. Timmons
"We cannot teach people anything, we can only help them find it within themselves." - Galileo
Galilei
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