Inquiry-led learning: Planning

So, you have a starting point for an inquiry. You have a topic and purpose that are significant to the children.

Stop and speculate: where might this inquiry go? Brainstorm as many possibilities as you can.

Is this something that can be researched by:

• reading
• viewing
• writing
• drawing
• painting
• sculpting
• modelling
• building
• constructing/ deconstructing
• counting
• measuring
• creating patterns
• ordering or sequencing
• role playing
• singing
• dancing
• balancing
• running. jumping
• throwing, kicking
• playing or creating games
• telling or creating stories
• mapping
• timelining
• experimenting
• something else?

The possibilities will help you choose an inquiry process that will work for this inquiry.

A simple search on ‘inquiry process’ in your favourite search engine will lead you to thousands of possibilities!

You could choose a generic framework. One simple one is

• Connect – prompt the children to remember what they have related to this topic, to notice where they are and the materials available and the people they are with. This is a great time to make or remember Agreements about how we can be together respectfully at this time.
• Explore – children need time to play with the materials, in this space, with these people.
• Create – offer the children the experience/s you have planned and support them to engage with the materials, in this space, with the children in the group in these new ways.
• Reflect – gather the children’s perspectives on what they have done, what worked, what didn’t work, what they have learned, what they might do next.

This framework can be used to sequence the whole inquiry, but also for each ‘lesson’.

Kath Murdoch has a larger framework that also can be used to sequence inquiries or lessons.

• Tuning in
• Finding out
• Sorting out
• Going further
• Making connections
• Reflecting and acting.

Other frameworks you might try include the Creative and Critical Thinking organising elements or ICT organsing elements.

There are also specific disciplinary inquiry processes. If there is a need for counting or measuring, maybe a Mathematical Inquiry process will work best. If you plan on the children designing a solution, Process and Production Skills will be needed. If there are experiments to be completed, Science Inquiry Skills will be needed. If the inquiry explores historical events, issues, people, places or developments, HASS Skills will help.

Or, rather than working sequentially, you might try working laterally. The 8 Ways of Knowing framework has the added bonus of helping all Australians to begin to see from Aboriginal perspectives.

What inquiry process will work best for your inquiry?