Asking Questions in Biology

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 26.06.03

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction/rationale:
  2. Student Background And School Demographics:
  3. Rachel Carson And The Sense Of Wonder:
  4. Rachel Carson And The Question That Started A Movement:
  5. Citizen Science:
  6. Migratory Birds In Chicago:
  7. The Endangered Piping Plover:
  8. Teaching Strategies:
  9. Activities
  10. Appendix On Implementing District Standards
  11. Bibliography:
  12. Student Reading List:
  13. List Of Materials For Classroom Use:
  14. Endnotes:

Rachel Carson and the Questions that Helped Save Bird Populations

Nancy V. Ibarra

Published September 2026

Tools for this Unit:

Teaching Strategies:

All scientific studies start with a question. This question is then turned into a testable statement, the hypothesis. We have seen countless charts describing the scientific method in our science classrooms. As someone who has been teaching for over 25 years, I can say those charts have withstood the test of time. As early as 1000 AD, Arab mathematician, astronomer, and physicist Ibn al-Haitham acknowledged the importance of questions in science. “The duty of the man who investigates the writings of scientists, if learning the truth is his goal, is to make himself an enemy of all that he reads, and attack it from every side.”  He is known as the father of the scientific method and pioneered the modern approach by insisting that theories be tested and verified through systematic experiments, rather than relying on abstract philosophy. Many modern scientists continue to use the scientific method today.[47]

In my classroom, I have found that asking questions is an effective way to promote thinking during the scientific process. When students design their own scientific inquiry projects based on observations of the world around them, they not only answer their own questions but also ignite new curiosity.  Through thoughtful guidance, the focus here will be on the types of questions that arise from their bird observations. Questions from their peers will ensure their projects are relevant and meaningful by guiding the next phase of their work. I find that students are less reluctant to ask their peers questions than they are to ask adults, such as their teacher. The expectation is that these questions will contribute to the formation of new hypotheses, further investigations, and so on. While many students’ curious engagement declines as they get older, it does not have to be this way. A classroom where students feel comfortable making mistakes is a classroom where students are actively learning. Creating a classroom environment where students put themselves in the vulnerable position of asking questions is powerful learning. The hope is that this engagement will lead students, especially students from marginalized communities, to pursue careers in STEM.

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