Kenyon College

HHMI Grants to Kenyon

Howard Hughes Medical Institute

HHMI Middle School Science Teachers Workshop, Summer 2005

Inquiry-Based Labs in Biological and Physical Science

Middle school teachers in Knox County gathered in August, 2005 to learn about inquiry-based lab design. 
One exercise involved examining animal skull-jaw sets as part of an inquiry into the physics of levers as
seen in the evolution and adaptation of different species' jaw structures.

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Workshop Schedule

	Monday, 8/15	Tuesday, 8/16	Wednesday, 8/17	Thursday, 8/18	Friday, 8/19
9:00 – 12:30	Introductions Survey Background on Darwin’s finches Inquiry exercise on Darwin’s finches	Inquiry exercise on levers Extending lever analysis to bones	Meet at Kenyon College (Higley 109) Background on heat and heat transfer Inquiry exercise on temperature regulation strategies	Inquiry exercise on friction Inquiry exercise on air resistance pictures of air resistance tests 1 2 3 4	Consult with instructors to develop/refine data analysis ideas, procedures Complete PowerPoint presentations
12:30 – 1:30	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
1:30 – 5:00	Continue finch inquiry Articulate features of inquiry-based investigations Discuss presentation assignment for Friday	Inquiry exercise on pulleys, ramps Relating inquiry results to theory (work, energy, efficiency)	Continue temperature regulation inquiry Tour some Kenyon labs, looking at the physical principles underlying instrumentation used in biology, chemistry	Looking for biological adaptations related to friction or air resistance Work on PowerPoint presentations	Group presentations Program evaluation

Elements of Inquiry-based Learning Strategies

A Quick Inquiry Worksheet

Presentations by Participants

Evaluations of the Workshop