The Heart Of Inquiry
The heart of this unit is engaging students in inquiry and experimentation. As a part of this, I want to build on what students do and do not know. Questioning is one of the major tools I want to use to get my students thinking. The willingness to question at the elementary level remains viable, and most of my students are open to it. Knowing this, I want to build on their willingness and help them understand that questioning is one way scientists learn more about the natural world.
Firestein asserts that questioning is one of the best tools science can use because science relies less on facts and more on inquiry. Scientists recognize that science is always changing; data can change, and our interpretation of data can change as well. More often than not, the quest for facts in science often leads to more of the unknown. I want students to embrace this as a way to continue exploration and extend their knowledge throughout this unit[30].
Berger asserts that people are innately born curious and possess the ability to question. He describes very young children as some of the best at questioning because they want to make sense of the world around them. For this reason, young children are some of our best scientists. However, as children get older, their willingness to question seems to lessen. In addition, Berger asserts that willingness to question and engagement are highly correlated. Berger posits one reason may be standards-based education. Standards-based education tends to inundate teachers with a large number of objectives to teach in a short period of time. Many districts have started using scripted curricula that stifle teachers' creativity and, in turn, students' creativity. It becomes a vicious cycle[31].
This unit is designed to push students to question, think critically, and explore. Critical thinking requires students to think objectively and consider multiple viewpoints. As a hallmark of this lesson, students will be pushed to think critically about how exercise affects heart health in general and to consider the implications of their learning for different communities. I want this exploration to push students beyond their own beliefs and to draw conclusions using evidence[32].
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