Competency 025: Scientific Inquiry

1. Competency 025: Scientific Inquiry The teacher understands the history and nature of science, process, and role of scientific inquiry, and the role of inquiry instruction.

2. History and nature of science Students will come to understand that science is changing and dynamic rather than fixed and tentative. • Three-phase learning cycle • Science must be taught in a way that is consistent with the nature of science. • Science must promote the development in students’ ability to think. • Science must be taught in a way that matches how students learn.

3. Process Phase • Exploration – engage and explore • Concept invention – explain • Application – elaborate

4. Role of scientific inquiry • The nature of science is to help students understand the concept of controlling variables and testing only one variable at a time. • Student need to learn to be precise in collecting data and measurement using the metric system.

5. Role of inquiry in science instruction • Explain data collecting procedure • Display findings • Demonstrate and provide a model • Allow students to work in groups • Upon completion, engage students in analyzing their work as well as others for similarities, differences and variations including error.