Inquire Within: Implementing Inquiry-Based Science Standards

By Douglas Llewellyn

Book Overview

"This book makes a distinct contribution with its completeness of coverage, easy-to-read style, and abundance of practical examples. Its suggestions are obviously based upon a wealth of personal experience, not just ′book knowledge.′ The author is to be commended for writing a book aimed at practitioners, not theorists; it is sorely needed."

Diane M. Holben, Coordinator of Academic Services
Saucon Valley High School
Hellertown, PA

"Llewellyn has included several clear comparisons of the inquiry method to what is currently happening in classrooms, as well as many examples from each level of teaching. The books′ well-organized material will be informative for both experienced teachers and student teachers just starting out."

Joan Commons, Academic Coordinator
Teacher Education CREATE
UCSD, San Diego, CA

"As a science teacher, I can easily identify with the effective examples and activities presented, and see the potential connections to my own classroom. It offers a comprehensive approach to planning and developing constructivist mode educational practices and addresses a need within the educational community by being written in a user-friendly format without jargon or clich style terms."

Raymond Francis, Professor
Teacher Education and Professional Development
Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI

Tips and tools to harness the power of students′ curiosity and improve achievement in science

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Research Council, and the National Science Teachers Association all assert the importance of inquiry-based instruction as a central strategy for teaching science. In this informative guide, Douglas Llewellyn, a leading expert in the field of inquiry-based learning, draws upon personal experience, current research, and best practices to provide clear-cut insights with practical suggestions on how to develop teaching competencies and strategies, implementing inquiry as called for by the national standards.

Written for conscientious educators seeking to cultivate science learners′ sense of discovery and critical thinking skills, Inquire Within offers enlightening guidelines and information. Practitioners at every level--including elementary and secondary science teachers, principals, science department heads, staff development planners, curriculum supervisors, and college professors--will benefit from this comprehensive guide to inquiry-based learning.

Key features include:

Step-by-step plans for applying inquiry-based methods to classroom environments and activities, including specific examples and scientific experiments Straightforward charts, rubrics, and other assessment tools to evaluate progress Clear and comprehensive definitions of inquiry, constructivism, and learning cycle strategies Real-life scenarios highlighting successful use of inquiry-based strategies Extensive resource information

About the Author:

Douglas Llewellyn is Director of Science at the Rochester City School District, a professor of undergraduate and graduate level science education at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, a former middle school science teacher, and junior high school principal. He is a frequent guest speaker at local and national science conferences and has been involved with numerous National Science Foundation grants on systemic reform.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0761977457
• ISBN13: 9780761977452
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Corwin
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.8" x 0.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

"inquire within" great book

I needed this book for a class I am taking.I was able to see the book before I bought it to make sure it was the one I needed. The pages that I was able to review were very informative and just what I needed.

Inquire Within, perhaps the best source on inquiry out there

Inquire Within: Implementing Inquiry-Based Science Standards Llewellyn states that inquiry must be prepared in a crock pot, not a microwave. Meaning, to incorporate inquiry into your classroom, your grade level, and woven with your teaching style, takes time. Inquiry can have many definitions, yet the outcome from reading this book is that you can incorporate inquiry so very easily. A very reader friendly book that is on the top of my reference books on inquiry. I have taught 7th & 8th grade science for 15 years, I am a staff developer, an adjunct instructor for science methods at a local teacher college, and I highly recommend Inquire Within.

An outstanding resource for teachers

There are a plethora of books out about inquiry, the hot new buzzword in science education. This one has real substance. As a scientist, I think Llewellyn captures the true nature of science inquiry. As a teacher and professional developer, I especially like the self-assessments and rubrics to help make the transition from traditional practice to inquiry-based practice in the classroom. I use it so often that I keep losing it because I am always lending it to someone. This book will be useful to anyone who teaches science and wants to reach more kids more effectively.