inquiry

This unit uses diverse written and visual texts to help students understand aspects of who they are by exploring other people’s experiences and perspectives. Students have opportunities to understand how they’re connected to the land and to consider their sense of place. Students analyze and synthesize written and visual texts to inform and inspire the creation of their own written and visual texts.

For years I have been inviting students to share their stories through various writing assignments in the class, and I always try to connect students’ worlds with those they encounter in literature. Memoir writing is a powerful medium through which students can reflect on and share moments that have shaped who they are.

This inquiry lesson helps students to understand how interactions between First Peoples and Europeans helped to shape Canada’s identity.

Through open-ended provocations students are invited to investigate and uncover mathematical concepts. Provocations often begin with an inquiry question, merging students’ interests and curriculum content. In this example, near the end of the school year, students are bringing together two familiar ideas – patterns and shapes. 

This short exercise introduces teachers and students to design thinking. Students are challenged to design a watering system for a school garden that can be sustained with minimal human intervention during summer break. Students will gain an understanding of the needs of various stakeholder groups through empathic interviewing.

In this design challenge, student teams are asked to create an advertising campaign that will appeal to teens and convey strategies for getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night. Teachers provide opportunities for students to conduct research and explore issues related to sleep deprivation in a digital world.

In this activity, students are challenged to design a prototype machine or tool that is capable of restoring balance to Earth’s damaged ecosystems. Teachers should build prior knowledge related to the concepts of sustainability and ecosystems before the design day.

This video was developed with the intention of welcoming BC Teachers to developing the skills and process of inquiry in their Science classes.

In the Instant Snow investigation, students will observe and test characteristics of a “mystery powder” that, when water is added, turns into instant snow. The mystery powder is polyacrylate, the same material used in disposable diapers. This lesson outline was designed to work with the Steps to Inquiry process, for students in Grades 3 to 6. Steps to Inquiry is a framework from Smarter Science, which was an outreach initiative of Youth Science Canada. 

Teachers and students at Richmond elementary schools, including Lord Byng and Tomekichi Homma, have been examining how mathematics can be experienced in the community, and connecting with stories of place. Inspired by the book Tluuwaay Waadluxan Mathematical Adventures, created by Elders, educators, community members, and students in Haida Gwaii, the Richmond teachers and students have looked for mathematics in their community and posed and solved problems of interest to them.