Inquiry Science

Each year on my volunteer forms I included sections to ask if parents have a special skill/ job that they would like to share.  I always end up with great options like law enforcement, firemen etc.

I also include and ask if anyone would like to come in and teach a science or social studies lesson.  :-D  This year I hit the JACKPOT and had a mother who is an 8th grade science teacher volunteer!  She had the day off so she came in for a science day afternoon.

I have to tell you that I have NEVER seen a group of kids as excited as I have in all my years (lol...yup all 7 of those years) of teaching!

She was amazing and the way that she planned and structured the lesson was super engaging.  From the very minute that she started teaching, I decided then and there that I needed to incorporate more inquiry science lessons.

Now I always have wanted to teach all science this way but quite frankly... it takes A LOT of time and preparation.  With planning reading, math and writing plus small group lessons and differentiated  materials... I have NEVER had the time! 

There are wonderful resources on TPT and the internet but they usually are not all together.  I might find a cute poem here, a book here and an assessment here but none of them ever perfectly fit together. 

I decided that I am going to put some of my common core items (well some because I am going to add common core questions and some other skills) on hold and start planning WHOLE scientific inquiry lessons for my class.

Here is a peak at my matter unit:

I hope to finish this up tomorrow.  I also will try to get permission from my teacher mom to share her experiment because it was terrific!

Also- some exciting news- I have been waiting to hear back from someone so I can FINALLY have my 100 follower giveaway and they called me today and said that they will have an answer for me this week whether I can give away this AMAZING thing for my 100 follower giveaway in addition to other goodies. (Yup- that was a run on sentence but I'm tired so please forgive it~)

 :)  I hope to hear back soon so we can start the fun!  :)

Have a great night!