Inquiry-Based Learning
Course
Explore and wonder [3:56]
Learn how to ignite student curiosity during the exploration phase of inquiry
The initial stages of inquiry involve asking questions based on existing knowledge. Students can gain both curiosity and confidence early on by identifying what they already know about a topic or issue. Before embarking on a research project, help them activate prior knowledge by reading a related picture book or presenting a topic overview. Students can then fill out a KWL chart, a three-column chart where students write down what they already know, what they want to know, and what they ultimately learn about a subject.
Even some brief ABC brainstorming can help students determine their own existing knowledge. For example, before researching the Civil War, students can engage in a word association exercise in which they write down names or ideas relating to the larger subject: Abraham Lincoln for A, Battle of Gettysburg for B, and so on.
Research shows that adding to our foundation of knowledge fuels our curiosity for more learning. Activities like these can help students recognize what they already know, which in turn can help them wonder about what they don't yet know.
Students' curiosity can be cultivated further when their emotions are activated. Classroom activities that provoke surprise, anticipation, joy, or even disgust can help propel students further into the inquiry process. For example: students can look at a primary historical source, like a piece of artwork or photograph, and think about their own emotional response to it. A lesson about World War II, for instance, might begin with students viewing a photo of children at a Japanese internment camp. Students can be asked for their personal reactions to such a photograph. What can they imagine about the lives of those children?
Emotions come from the personal connections we make with subject matter; the more we personalize a subject for students, the more questions they'll have about it, which can help them dive deeper into inquiry.
Finally, the act of close observation can lead students to greater curiosity and deeper exploration. When we say "close" observation, we mean taking more time to look at something without the pressure of drawing conclusions about it. We can give students space to slow down and look at a text, image, or idea from different angles, letting their interest guide them without the pressure of presenting their own perspective right away. For example, when students look at a series of World War II internment camp photos, they can explore the content on their own and look at interesting faces, settings, or moments, and think about the people and events being depicted before having to find concrete information about them. Other sources they can explore might including a reference article or introductory chapter in a nonfiction book. Close observation leads to wondering, which can inspire the inquiry process that follows.
When students are given the opportunity to identify what they already know about a topic, make personal connections, and observe closely, their resulting curiosity can help ignite a sense of wonder that can not only sustain them throughout their years at school, but transform them into lifelong learners.
There are many different methods for sparking student curiosity at the start of an inquiry experience. This lesson discusses ways to establish exiting knowledge, incorporate emotion, and use close observation in the process. Primary sources provide a powerful doorway to access all of these components. Read the article by Tom Bober, "Primary Sources: Encouraging Elementary Students to Learn and Wonder" (in Resources below) for some inspiration and then complete the Reflect & Practice activity to look at how you can use primary sources to motivate your students' inquiry explorations.
After reading Tom Bober's tips on using primary sources with students, use the guidance in the above form to find a primary source that connects with your current curriculum and plan for how to use it to spark student wonder.
For more on using primary sources in the library and classroom, check out Tom's webinar, "Elementary Educator's Guide to Primary Sources."
MLA Citation
"Inquiry-Based Learning: Wondering about Primary Sources." School Library Connection, July 2019, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2214192?learningModuleId=2214085&topicCenterId=2247902.
Entry ID: 2215147
Additional Resources
About the Authors
Email: rmorris@schoollibraryconnection.com
Twitter: @rebeccajm87.
MLA Citation
"Inquiry-Based Learning. Explore and wonder [3:56]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, July 2019, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2214192?learningModuleId=2214085&topicCenterId=2247902.
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2214192?learningModuleId=2214085&topicCenterId=2247902
Entry ID: 2214192