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Main | Activity 3-1 | Activity 3-2

Activity 3-1: Draft and refine your investigation question

Through this activity you create the investigation question for your inquiry-based activity. To give you a foundation for creating your investigation question, read the following summaries on three design principles.

Working with your team members, refer to these design principles for guidance as you draft and refine your question. This process provides research-supported rationales that help your team create a sound investigation question. Remember that your question must align with the other parameters of your design space.

Your investigation question must:

  • Motivate learners.
  • Activate relevant prior knowledge.
  • Involve learners in the use of science resources to address a specific standard for learning and to investigate a science research question.

DELIVERABLE 3-1: INVESTIGATION QUESTION

You want a question that motivates the targeted learner population, activates their relevant prior knowledge, uses a science dataset to teach a specific set of standards, and investigates an authentic science research question. We have found the investigation question to be the key aspect of inquiry-based classroom activities. The investigation question must motivate each targeted learner to connect with the inquiry.

Submit your question to the discussion board. Work with your facilitator to refine your investigation question. Download the investigation question outline and complete the first section for your initial investigation question. You will complete the rest of the form in Activity 3-2.

Important: Make sure your facilitator has approved your investigation question BEFORE you proceed to Activity 3-2. You don’t want to go through the significant time and effort involved in testing your question with learners until you have received feedback from your facilitator. Once your facilitator has accepted your investigation question, move to Activity 3-2.

EXAMPLES
Review the following examples to see the work of other teams that have completed deliverable 3-1. The next activity has an example investigation question for Operation Montserrat.

Continue to Activity 3-2.

Main | Activity 3-1 | Activity 3-2

Overview & Registration | Introductory Activities

Step 1: Project Rationale | Step 2: Standards Alignment | Step 3: Investigation Question | Step 4: Assessment | Step 5: Best Practices | Step 6: Learning Technologies

Design Principles | Wrap-up Activities | About the VDC

 

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