Engaging Students in Asking Questions and Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Here are some tips for engaging students in Asking Questions and Planning and Carrying Out Investigations.

Asking Questions:

Support students in maintaining engagement and curiosity rather than focusing exclusively on the researchability of the question. You can always take an incomplete idea or question, and work with students to flesh it out! Use questions such as “Can you tell me more about your thinking?” or phrases like “yes, and…” to push students’ ideas and questions to a complete and researchable place. Check out resources like the Ambitious Science Teaching for more ideas.
Have the students engage family members and other community members (through places of worship, retirement communities, or service organizations) to learn more about where they live and topics of interest for research.
Allow students to have a say when they generate questions and plan investigations. If they are to think of themselves as future STEM professionals, we want them to think about and actively explore what interests them.

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations:

When carrying out field-based investigations, make sure all students can participate and have the supports they need to succeed in the field. This includes ensuring students have transportation, proper apparel, safety materials (e.g., sunscreen, water), and confidence. Engaging students in a planning phase can help them think through and anticipate the materials they will need and build confidence as they prepare.
If possible, rotate data collection roles so all students can experience and learn a variety of investigation tasks, whether collecting samples, reading meters, or documenting results.