Every year students work collaboratively on one formal inquiry project:
- Each group of students create their own open-ended inquiry question that is meaningful for them.
- Each group completes a thorough plan for following through with their inquiry question.
- Students plan all aspects of the inquiry, including information sources, strategies for working together, and presentation of results.
- They create a presentation and conclusion (informed opinion or impact statement) that is reasonable for the complexity of the question.
- Students reflect on the impact their inquiry has had on them personally.
Assessing the presentations
The Inquiry Program has moved from a decade of formal assessments and data collection towards building a shared resource of SD42 inquiry projects. This will allow all SD42 teachers to draw on a wide variety of inquiry projects that have been used by grade 6/7 students.
Projects are presented in a wide variety of formats, including iMovies, websites, poster boards, PowerPoint and ePortfolios.
The collection of students’ project can be found on SD42’s Spark website.
Sample of Inquiry Questions
How can we improve the lifestyle choices of our peers?
Why do people feel the need to share their lives on social media?
Should mental wellness be part of the school curriculum?
How can we get people to stop throwing their trash on the ground?
Can eating bugs save the world?
How might we ensure that we are eating properly if the Canadian Food Guide is, in fact, incorrect?
How can we introduce a composting project to our school?
How might Glenwood Elementary School save 450 light bulbs from the landfill in 1 month?
How can our class reduce lunch waste?
Sample Questions from projects in 2017
