Answer: Scientific inquiry refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Inquiry also refers to the activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world. National Science Education Standards, p. 23.
As pointed out in the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996), students who use inquiry to learn science engage in many of the same activities and thinking processes as scientists who are seeking to expand human knowledge of the natural world. Yet the activities and thinking processes used by scientists are not always familiar to the educator seeking to introduce inquiry into the classroom. By describing inquiry in both science and in classrooms, this volume explores the many facets of inquiry in science education. Through examples and discussion, it shows how students and teachers can use inquiry to learn how to do science, learn about the nature of science, and learn science content.
A good way to begin this investigation is to compare the methods and thinking process of a practicing scientist with the activities of an inquiry-based science lesson. The stories in this chapter set the stage for many of the themes to follow. The sidebars suggest some important aspects of the investigations of both scientists and students.
INQUIRY IN SCIENCE
A geologist who was mapping coastal deposits in the state of Washington was surprised to discover a forest of dead cedar trees near the shore. A significant portion were still standing, but they clearly had been dead for many years. He found similar
