Grade+07

Grade 7: Inquiring Minds Want to Know  __Inquiry Task #1__: For your grade / course, identify the "generic" inquiry-based skills you currently employ with your students.
 * ===Create a prediction (or hypothesis) for an experiment. ===
 * ===Determine variables within an experiment (independent, dependent, controlled/constant). ===
 * ===Determine groups (control vs. experimental). ===
 * ===Make qualitative and quantitative observations collecting data correctly. ===
 * ===Organize data into tables and convert data (when appropriate) into visual graphs by hand and/or on the computer (Excel or Google Spreadsheet). ===
 * ===Analyze data looking for patterns. ===

 __Inquiry Task #2__: List the units that currently are taught in which inquiry skills appear. **__7th grade units include:__ Scientific Inquiry/Process ** (focus on data collection and presentation), **Chemistry ** (atomic structure and the periodic table through balancing chemical equations), **Cells ** (including Cell Transport and Cellular Processes), **DNA **, **Genetics ** (monohybrid punnett squares), **Nervous System ** (frog dissection) and **<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Ecology ** (food web and energy pyramid).
 * ===<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Scientific Inquiry and Methodology - Pendulum Lab, Shrunken Head, Gummy Bear Lab, Paper Airplanes, Radish Seeds, Save Fred ===
 * ===<span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Chemistry - Cookie Caper Lab (white powders), Chemical Reaction Lab (CaCO<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; vertical-align: sub;">3 in a bag), HCl and Zn reaction ===
 * ===<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Cellular Processes/Chemistry of Life (photosynthesis/respiration; osmosis/diffusion) ===

<span style="color: #1700ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 19px;"> __Inquiry Task #3__: Brain-storm ideas for how your current units or activities can be made more inquiry-based. ===<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 21px; line-height: 19px;">Begin with teacher directed activities, removing instruction and allowing for exploration with defined parameters (for safety!!). ===

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 21px; line-height: 19px;">Potentially work with peer teachers to create experiments that are repeatable and expandable per grade/knowledge level.