Kath Murdoch’s Inquiry Model

Steps of Inquiry Questions Activities

Tuning In activities should:  Why should we investigate this?
 provide students with opportunities to  What do we already know?
become engaged with the topic  How does this affect us?
 ascertain the students initial curiosity  What do we want to find out?
 allow students to share their personal  What feelings or opinions do we have?
experiences in relation to the topic  What is the issue?
Preparing to find out activities should:  How are we going to conduct our
 establish what the students already know inquiry?
about the topic  How can we plan our inquiry?
 provide the students with a focus for the  What do we want to focus on?
forthcoming experience  What questions do we need to ask?
 help in the planning of further experience and  What type of information do we
activities need?
 How will we access the information?
 What is the best way of allocating

examining an artefact or document
 a field trip
 discussing a dilemma

visitor to the class
 predicting about a given situation
 considering a challenging question
 considering a case study
 studying maps, photos, posters, cartoons
 performing a task, game, or role play
 word associations etc

brainstorming for suggestions
 posing solutions to problems
 predicting outcomes or consequences
 formulating propositions
 hypothesising
 identify questions to guide investigations
 develop tentative explanations
 setting contracts
 drawing up a plan
 forming small groups
 setting appropriate tasks
 creating an individual or group project
 locating resources

tasks?  drawing a timeline

Finding out activities should:  How relevant is the information?  excursions and field trips
 guest speakers
 further stimulate the students’ curiosity  Whose views are reflected in this  surveys and interviews
 provide new information which may answer information?  video – internet - music
some of the students earlier questions  How else might we find out about  magazines, newspapers, books, articles library and
media centre
 raise other questions for the students to this?
 conducting experiments
explore  How could we use this information?  collecting and analysing statistics, maps and charts
 challenge the students knowledge, beliefs and  What is our reaction to this new  evaluating primary sources, case studies
values information?  seeking opinions
 help the students to make sense of further
activities and experiences that have been
planned for them

Making the PYP happen, IB Regional Conference, Beijing 2012

Steps of Inquiry Questions
Sorting out activities should:  How might we sort this information?
 provide students with concrete means of sorting  How can we categorise this information?
out representing information and ideas arising  How does this information compare or
from the finding out stage contrast with other situations?
 provide students with the opportunity to process  Does the information change our view of
the information they have gathered and present the issue?
this in a number of ways  What is the best way to present this
 allow for a diverse range of outcomes information?
Going further activities should:  Have you thought about……..?
 extend and challenge students understanding  Have you changed your thinking about
about the topic ……….?
 provide more information in order to broaden the  Suppose……………?
range of understandings available to the students  What do you think would happen if….?
 What is your understanding of ….?
Making connection activities should:  What can we now say about ….?
 help students draw conclusions about what they  What general conclusions can you make?
have learnt  What evidence do you have to support this?
 provide opportunities for reflection both on what  Has your thinking changed about ….?
has been learnt and on the learning process itself  What similarities and differences do you
 bring it all together notice?
 How does this relate to our earlier
questions?
 How will I present this information?
Taking action activities should:  How can we contribute to decisions made in
 assist students to make links between their the classroom or school?
understandings and their experience in the real  What could be done about this issue?
world  What would happen if …….?
 enable students to make choices and develop the
 How might we make others aware of what
belief that they can be effective participants in we know?
society  How can we contribute to or influence
 provide further insight into students decisions made in the classroom or in
understandings for future planning society?
 What should be done about this?
Making the PYP happen, IB Regional Conference, Beijing 2012
Activities
 Recording impressions through art – music – drama
 Personal journals and stories
 Drafting and editing
 Grouping and labelling
 Making and interpreting graphs – charts – diagrams
 Small group discussion
 Values clarification
 Values analysis

Statistical analysis
 Identifying bias
 Assessing validity of sources of information
 looking at things from another point of view
 trying another way of doing something
 accessing another source
 seeking contrasting opinions
 challenging thinking
 challenging own beliefs
 making a model or mural
 presenting a role – play
 giving a talk or presenting a report
 writing a story
 making a video audiotape
 devising a play
 holding a debate
 making summary statements


power point presentation
visual display
 newspaper front page
 reassess the hypothesis
 involving students in decision making
 negotiating how the investigation will be
conducted
 identifying realistic alternatives
 evaluating decisions made
 presenting findings to wider audiences
 considering possible courses of action
 contacting community groups
 class projects
 networking