Inquiry Network The American Museum of Natural History

Download the Proceedings of the Second Annual Convergence on Inquiry, 2004 download it (31kbs)

Network Stories 2004

Welcome to the Inquiry Network of the American Museum of Natural History
Here you will find stories of how teachers are challenging their students to engage in inquiry, think critically and access resources of AMNH and the World Wide Web.
Please read a story and select "Add your Comment or Question" to send a response to the teacher. All responses will be posted as soon as we receive them.

Edited and compiled by
John Barell

"How do we help students understand photosynthesis?" -

Desciption: In this section we will post your general comments and questions about the challenges of teaching and learning. For comments about specific stories, please visit those stories.

"Who does the Rain Forest belong to?" - Grades K and 1

Desciption: Katie used Ology to explore themes of habitats and endangered species with her first graders, to debate ownership of the rain forest and then help solve the problem of protecting natural resources.

“Why is it called a food chain, if it's so tangled?” Questions about Biodiversity - Grade 5

Desciption: Dorian's fifth graders explored Ology to learn about biodiversity. Note the extensiveness of students' questions and their culminating action project to use the information they had been learning.

"Will dogs ever be as smart as people?" - Grover Cleveland Middle School, Caldwell, New Jersey

Desciption: Jane Kinkle's story demonstrates the varied ways to foster inquiry--starting with background information to stimulate students' inquisitiveness about "Human Origins." She illustrates the need to help students refine their questions, getting to the heart of the matter that can then be researched. Jane's students search through multiple on-line resources for answers and work collaboratively to foster critical thinking.

"How can organisms survive in a toxic environment" - Grade 7

Desciption: Jeff's unit, based on an AMNH Deep Sea Vents curriculum uses inquiry and problem solving to excite students about exploring earth's oceans.

A Passion for Monarchs—Maureen Barrett, Harrington Middle School, Mt. Laurel, NJ - 8th

Desciption: Motivating eighth grade students is sometimes challenging. Social issues and sports, compounded by physiological changes, sometimes take precedence over academics. To help capture the minds of my students, I begin each year with an intensive study of the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus.

“Is there biodiversity in your backyard?” - High School

Desciption: Ruth led her students to explore their backyards, pose questions and draw conclusions about the extent of biodiversity from first hand investigations.

“How did the genus “Homo” develop over millions of years?” - High School

Desciption: Bob's high school Microbiology and Biotechnology course uses AMNH sites to explore genomic research, biotechnology techniques and evolution. Students observed, classified, engaged in critical analysis and drew conclusions about fossil evidence.

We would like to include your first name, title/job description, and school district in your submission, unless you want that information withheld.