Available at [Link]

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The 5 E Learning Cycle Model

Object, event or question used to engage students.

Engagement
Connections facilitated between what students know and can do.
Objects and phenomena are explored.
Exploration
Hands-on activities, with guidance.
Students explain their understanding of concepts and processes.
Explanation New concepts and skills are introduced as conceptual clarity and cohesion
are sought.
Activities allow students to apply concepts in contexts, and build on or
Elaboration extend understanding and skill.

Students assess their knowledge, skills and abilities. Activities permit

Evaluation evaluation of student development and lesson effectiveness.

Adapted from Bybee, R.W. et al. (1989).

Planning inquiry lessons using the Learning Cycle model

First used as an inquiry lesson planning model in the Science Curriculum

Improvement Study (SCIS) program, a K-6 science program in the early 1970s,
the early learning cycle model had 3 stages (exploration, invention, discovery).
Using the learning cycle approach, the teacher "invents" the science concept of
the lesson in the 2nd stage (rather than defining it at the outset of the lesson as
in the traditional approach). The introduced concept subsequently enables
students to incorporate their exploration in the 3rd stage and apply it to new
examples. Many examples of learning cycles have been described in the
literature (Barman, 1989; Ramsey, 1993; also see Osborne and Wittrock,1983).
The 5E Learning Cycle ( Bybee) is used in the new BSCS science programs as
well as in other texts and materials.
 Using a Learning Cycle Model in Lesson Planning

The chart below is based upon a four step learning cycle model as featured in
Bentley, Ebert & Ebert (2000) , but the examples of learner and teacher
behaviors provided here can be adapted to fit other learning cycle models.

Engage: Learner has a need to know, therefore, defines questions, issues or

problems that relate to his/her world.

Learner Teacher
calls up prior knowledge poses problems

has an interest asks questions

experiences doubt or disequilibrium reveals discrepancies

has a question(s) causes disequilibrium or doubt

identifies problems to solve, decisions to be assess prior knowledge

made, conflicts to be resolved

writes questions, problems, etc.

develops a need to know

self reflects and evaluates

Investigate (Explore): Learner gathers, organizes, interprets, analyzes,

evaluates data

Learner Teacher
hypothesizes and predicts questions and probes

explores resources and materials models when needed

designs and plans makes open suggestions

collects data provides resources

builds models provides feedback

seeks possibilities assesses understandings and processes

self reflects and evaluates

Explain and Clarify: Learner clarifies understandings discovered, reaches

conclusions or generalizations and communicates in varying modes and forms.

Learner Teacher
clarifies understandings provides feedback

shares understandings for feedback asks questions, poses new problems and
issues

forms generalizations models or suggests possible modes

reflects on plausibility offers alternative explanations

seeks new explanations enhances or clarifies explanations

employs various modes for explanation evaluates explanations

(writing, art, etc)

Expand: Learner applies these conclusions or generalizations to solve

problems, make decisions, perform tasks, resolve conflicts or make meaning

Learner Teacher
applies new knowledge asks questions

solves problems provides feedback

makes decisions provides resources

performs new related tasks makes open suggestions

resolves conflicts models when necessary

plans and carries out new project evaluates

asks new questions

seeks further clarification

Source: Needham, R. A., Powell, D. & Bentley, M. L. (1994). Using Big Books in Science and Social
Studies. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Reading Association, Toronto, Canada,
1994.

Inquiry Indicators: What Are the Students Doing?

An On-the-Run Reference Guide to What Inquiry "Looks Like"

Imagine yourself in an inquiry classroom. What would you expect to see?

These guidelines from the Vermont Elementary School/Continuous
Assessment Project were created by observing students as they did
"hands-on, minds-on" exploration in the classroom. "The intent is not to
use the guide as a checklist," they said, "but to use it as a statement of
what we value in the areas of science process, science dispositions, and
science content development."

When students are doing inquiry-based science, an observer will see

that:

Students View Themselves as Active Participants in the Process of

Learning
1. They look forward to doing science.
2. They demonstrate a desire to learn more.
3. They seek to collaborate and work cooperatively with their peers.
4. They are confident in doing science; they demonstrate a
willingness to modify ideas, take risks,
5.
6. and display healthy skepticism.
7. They respect individuals and differing points of view.

Students Accept an "Invitation to Learn" and Readily Engage in the

Exploration Process
1. They exhibit curiosity and ponder observations.
2. They take the opportunity and time to try out and persevere with
their own ideas.

Students Plan and Carry Out Investigations

1. They design a fair test as a way to try out their ideas, not expecting
to be told what to do.
2. They plan ways to verify, extend, or discard ideas.
3. They carry out investigations by handling materials with care,
observing, measuring, and
4.
5. recording data.

Inquiry Indicators: What Are the Students Doing?

An On-the-Run Reference Guide to What Inquiry "Looks Like"

Imagine yourself in an inquiry classroom. What would you expect to see? These
guidelines from the Vermont Elementary School/Continuous Assessment
Project were created by observing students as they did "hands-on, minds-on"
exploration in the classroom. "The intent is not to use the guide as a checklist,"
they said, "but to use it as a statement of what we value in the areas of science
process, science dispositions, and science content development."

When students are doing inquiry-based science, an observer will see that:

Students View Themselves as Active Participants in the Process of Learning

1. They look forward to doing science.
2. They demonstrate a desire to learn more.
3. They seek to collaborate and work cooperatively with their peers.
4. They are confident in doing science; they demonstrate a willingness to
modify
5.
6. ideas, take risks, and display healthy skepticism.
7. They respect individuals and differing points of view.

Students Accept an "Invitation to Learn" and Readily Engage in the Exploration

Process
1. They exhibit curiosity and ponder observations.
2. They take the opportunity and time to try out and persevere with their
own ideas.

Students Plan and Carry Out Investigations

 1. They design a fair test as a way to try out their ideas, not expecting to be
told what to do.
2. They plan ways to verify, extend, or discard ideas.
3. They carry out investigations by handling materials with care, observing,
measuring, and recording
4.
5. data.

Students Communicate Using a Variety of Methods

1. They express ideas in a variety of ways: journals, reporting drawing,
graphing, charting, etc.
2. They listen, speak, and write about science with parents, teachers, and
peers.
3. They use the language of the processes of science
4. They communicate their level of understanding of concepts that t hey
have developed to date.

Students Propose Explanations and Solutions and Build a Store of Concepts

1. They offer explanations both from a "store" of previous experience and
from knowledge
2.
3. gained as a result of ongoing investigation.
4. They use investigations to satisfy their own questions.
5. They sort out information and decide what is important (what does and
doesn't work).
6. They are willing to revise explanations and consider new ideas as they
gain knowledge
7.
8. (build understanding).

Students Raise Questions

1. They ask questions--verbally or through actions.
2. They use questions that lead them to investigations that generate or
redefine further
3.
4. questions and ideas.
5. They value and enjoy asking questions as an important part of science.

Students Use Observations

1. They observe carefully, as opposed to just looking.
2. They see details, seek patterns, detect sequences and events; they notice
changes, similarities, and
3.
4. differences.
5. They make connections to previously held ideas.

Students Critique Their Science Practices

 1. They create and use quality indicators to assess their own work.
2. They report and celebrate their strengths and identify what they'd like to
improve upon.
3. They reflect with adults and their peers.

Inquiry Indicators: What is the Teacher Doing?

In the inquiry classroom, the teacher's role becomes less involved with direct
teaching and more involved with modeling, guiding, facilitating, and continually
assessing student work. Teachers in inquiry classrooms must constantly adjust
levels of instruction to the information gathered by that assessment.

The teacher's role is more complex, including greater responsibility for creating
and maintaining conditions in which children can build understanding. In this
capacity, the teacher is responsible for developing student ideas and maintaining
the learning environment.

Besides the process skills that the student must hone in the inquiry classroom,
there are also skills a teacher must develop in order to support student learning
of scientific ideas. When you enter an inquiry classroom, you may see that the:

Teachers Model Behaviors and Skills

1. They show children how to use new tools or materials.

2. They guide students in taking more and more responsibility in investigations.
3. They help students design and carry out skills of recording, documenting, and
drawing

conclusions.

Teachers Support Content Learning

1. They help students form tentative explanations while moving toward content
understanding.
2. They introduce tools and materials and scientific ideas appropriate to content
learning.
3. They use appropriate content terminology, as well as scientific and
mathematical language.

Teachers Use Multiple Means of Assessment

1. They are sensitive to what children are thinking and learning, and identify
areas in which
children are struggling.
2. They talk to children, ask questions, make suggestions, share, and interact.
3. They move around and make themselves available to all students.
4. They help children go to the next stage of learning with appropriate clues and
prompts.

Teachers Act as Facilitators

1. They use open-ended questions that encourage investigation, observation, and
thinking.
2. They carefully listen to students' ideas, comments, and questions, In order to
help them

develop their skills and thought processes.

3. They suggest new things to look at and try, and encourage further
experimentation and

thinking.
4. They orchestrate and encourage student dialogue.

Above excerpted from: Doris Ash and Barry Kluger-Bell. (2000). Identifying inquiry in the K-5 classroom.
Inquiry : Thoughts, views, and strategies for the K-5 classroom. Washington, DC: National Science Foundation
(Chapter 10). Available: [Link] (Sept. 3, 2000).

Problem-solving strategies

According to Hyerle (1996), "The central problem that constructivist educators

face is not a [lack of] guiding theory, but concrete strategies and tools for
institutionalizing these theoretical and practical understandings into more
inclusive classrooms." (p. 15).

Compass Quest is a consortium of 12 schools working to infuse into their

curriculums decision-making and problem-solving skills. The Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) provides logistical support
for the consortium. The Compass Quest schools teach four question-based
problem-solving strategies, one for each of four different situations. The
strategy names were derived from the problem-solving steps involved: SCAN,
FIND, SELECT, and PLAN. Many corporations (e.g. Honda, Uniroyal, and
Hewlett-Packard) and government agencies, such as NASA, have used these
strategies for over 40 years.

Compass Quest offers an effective way to begin using these processes:

 Situation Appraisal - how to evaluate "the whole picture" by breaking

 issues down into chunks, establishing priorities and determining
appropriate steps to resolve the issues.
 Decision Analysis - a process for making a decision when the choice
between alternatives is unclear. Involves systematically examining the
elements of and decision-objectives, choices and risks.
 Problem Analysis - how to find the root cause of problems so that
corrective actions can be taken.
 Potential Problem Analysis - tools for thinking about potential problems
and planning preventive and contingent actions.

Situation Definition Requirements Strategy

Multifaceted Understanding See the issues

scenarios have of relevant
multiple Clarify the
variables and variables, their issues
Complex opinions. priorities, and
situation possible action Assess
plans priorities

Name next
steps

Something has Analysis of Focus on the

gone wrong or relevant data to problem
an unknown evaluate
cause has possible causes Identify what is
produced some and determine and is not
Problem
undesired true cause
situation
effect. Narrow
possible causes

Determine true
cause

Decision One course of Selection of the State the

situation action or best possible decision
solution must option after
be selected evaluating Establish and
from among options against classify
several possible criteria and
options. then
 considering
risks. objectives

List alternatives

Evaluate
alternatives

Consider risks

Trust your
work

Upcoming Identification of Predict

plans, changes, actions needed potential
and actions will for successful problems
be implementation
implemented. and identifying List likely
potential causes
Implementation
problems and
situation
how to handle Agree on
them. preventive
actions

Note contingent
actions

(Richetti & Sheerin, 1999, p. 60.)

Hyerle, D. (1996). Visual tools for constructing knowledge. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Richetti, C. & Sheerin, J. (1999). Helping students ask the right questions. Educational Leadership, 57(3), 56-62. See:
[Link]

Priming the Pump: Peter Elbow's prompts to help students explore topics,
objects, places, issues

Questions to help a student write about someone s/he has studied or read
about:

 Describe _ as an ordinary person.

 What was/is special or unique about _ ?

 Imagine _ were the opposite sex: describe the life s/he

 would have lived.

 What if _ had lived in a different era, such as _ : describe

the life s/he would have lived.

 Make up or guess what might have been an important

event in _'s childhood.

 Create a soap opera plot with _ in it.

 What does _ most need to cry about?

 What should _ be most appreciated for?

 What would _'s mother or father say about _ ?

 What would _ be likely to dream about?

Questions to help a student write about someone's life as a whole:

 What about _'s life remained unchanged?

 Describe _'s life and character as determined by

important changes or turning points.

 Imagine you believe people are truly free and that they
somehow choose or cause what happens to them.
Describe _'s life.

 Imagine you believe people are not free, but are

determined by events they can't control. Describe _'s life.

 Describe _'s life as a product of national, cultural, and/or

ethnic influences.

 Describe _'s life as primarily a product of personal and

family influences.

 Describe _'s life as primarily a product of economic and

class influences.

 Describe _'s character as a solution to past problems.

  Describe _'s life as mainly the product of conditioning -
behavior rewarded and behavior punished.

Questions to help a student write about a place.

Teacher: "Imagine a place and go there in your imagination. Pick a particular

time of the year and of the day. Imagine it - feel the weather, hear the sounds.
Connect with it for a moment."

 How does "being there" influence your mood?

 Imagine the history of the place from the beginning of

the world. Write about this history.

 If someone said, "It's a _ day," what kind of day would it

be?

 Imagine you have always been blind. Describe your

place.

 What story, song, or movie does your place remind you

of?

 What is the first thing that comes to mind which your

place would never remind you of?

 What other place does your place make you think of?

 In what weather is your place most itself?

 What rhythms do you discern in your place - things that

happen there at regular intervals?

 How do you think your place will end?

Questions to help a student write about an object:

 Teacher: "Think of a particular moment in which this

object was meaningful or important to you. Close your
eyes and take yourself back into that moment. Imagine
the object in that scene - the time of day, the time of year,
 the smells, your feelings."

 If you had never seen this object before, what would you
notice when you first looked at it?

 Tell a way you might take it apart to get down to its basic
ingredients.

 Tell how this particular object came to exist - how it

came to be put together.

 Tell its history for the last five minutes.

 What ways is it used?

 What ways might it be used but isn't?

 What are three ways it could not possibly be used?

 What three things does the object remind you of (or

represent)?

Questions to help a student write about an artifact:

 Pretend you made it and are very dissatisfied. Why are

you dissatisfied with it?

 Imagine you made it as a gift for someone you know - a

real person in your life. Who? How did s/he feel about
your gift?

 Imagine that everyone owned this object. What would be

the effects?

 What is someone most likely to notice the first time s/he

sees it?

 What would you notice about this if you had never seen
anything like it before?

 What detail or part of it says more about it than any

other?
  Is this male or female?

 Imagine it as a part of an evolutionary process. What did

it evolve from? What will it evolve into?

 If this ends up as the only human artifact transported to

Mars and found in the next millennium by an alien
scouting party, what guesses or conclusions would they
reach about us?

"Angles" - Suggestions to help a student write about a problem or

dilemma:

 The pump needs priming.

 Defective materials.

 Too many cooks.

 A committee designed it or executed it.

 The problem is that God is angry.

 It's a problem of addiction.

 The problem has been stated wrong.

 The problem comes from bad data.

 It's a Gordian knot - quit trying to untie it and cut through

it with a sword.

 The problem is a car that won't start in the winter.

 It's a problem of logic.

 It looks like a problem but really everything is okay if

you take the right point of view.

 Assume a problem has no solution. What is the sensible

course of action or strategy that follows from this
conclusion.

 It's sabotage.
  It's a problem of numbers.

 Its just something wrong with digestion - eating the

wrong thing, getting diarrhea, constipation, vomiting.

 It's a problem of people - incompatible temperaments,

struggling for dominance, loving each other but unable to
admit it, feeling scared but not admitting it.

 Outdated design.

 It's a problem of money (too little/too much).

 It's a matter of being sick - needs a drug, a long

recuperation, helping the patient cope with the
impossibility of cure.

 It's mental illness - needs shock therapy, talking therapy,

group therapy, conditioning therapy, help and support,
recognition that society is crazy and the patient sane.

Adapted from
Peter Elbow. (1981). Writing with Power. New York: Oxford
University Press, pp. 83-92.

Fostering Inquiry:

Questions for Quality Thinking Strategies to Extend Student

Thinking

Knowledge-Identification and recall of Remember "wait time I and II"

information
Provide at least three seconds of
Who, what, when, where, how____? thinking time after a question and
after a response.
Describe______________________
Utilize "thinking-pair-share"
Comprehension-Organization and
selection of facts and ideas Allow individual thinking time,
discussion with a partner, and then
Retell_____in your own words. open up the class discussion.

What is the main idea of _______? Ask "follow-ups"

Application-Use of facts, rules, Why? Do you agree? Can you

principles elaborate?

How is ____an example of ___? How Tell me more. Can you give an
is____related to____? example?

Why is_____significant? Withold judgment

Analysis-Separation of a whole into Respond to student answers in a

component parts non-evaluative fashion

What are the parts or features of___? Ask for summary (to promote
active listening)
Classify___according to ___.
"Could you please summarize John's
Outline/diagram/web_______ point?"

How does__compare/contrast with___? Survey the class-"How many people

agree with the author's point of
What evidence can you list for___? view?"("thumbs up, thumbs down")

Synthesis-Combination of ideas to form Allow for student calling-"Richard,

a new whole will you please call on someone else
to respond?"
What would you predict/infer
from____? Play devil's advocate-require
student to defend their reasoning
What ideas can you add to___? against different points of view.

How would you create/design a Ask students to "unpack their

new___? thinking"--"Describe how you
arrived at your answer."("think
What might happen if you aloud")
combined___with ___?
Call on students randomly-Not just
What solutions would you suggest those with raised hands.
for___?
Student questioning- Let the
Evaluation-Development of opinions, students develop their own questions
judgements, or decisions
Do you agree___? What do you think Cue student responses-"There is
about___? not a single correct answer for this
question. I want you to consider
What is the most important___? alternatives."
Prioritize____?

How would you decide about___? What

criteria would you use to assess___?

Source: Frank Lyman, Maryland Department of Education workshop handout, Baltimore, MD, 1980.

Resources on Inquiry Teaching

Books

Barman, C. (1989). Making it work. Science Scope, 12(5), 28-31.

Bybee, R.W. et al. (1989). Science and technology education for the elementary
years: Frameworks for curriculum and instruction. Washington, D.C.: The
National Center for Improving Instruction.

Doris, E. (1991). Doing what scientists do: Children learn to investigate their
world. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Driver, R. (1983). The pupil as scientist? Buckingham, England: Open
University Press.

Driver, R., Guesne, E., and Tiberghien, A. (eds.) (1985). Children's ideas in
science. Buckingham, England: Open University Press.

Drummond, M. J. (1994). Learning to see: Assessment through observation.

Pembroke Publishers.

Duckworth, E. (1987). The having of wonderful ideas" and other essays on

teaching and learning. New York: Teachers College Press.

Gallas, K. (1995). Talking their way into science: Hearing children's questions
and theories, responding with curricula. New York: Teachers College Press.

Hein, G. E., and Price, S. (1994). Active assessment for active science: A guide
for elementary school teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

James, M. (1998). Using assessment for school improvement. Oxford:

Heinemann.

Karplus, R. (1975). The learning cycle. In F. Collea, et al., Workshop on physics

teaching and the development of reasoning. Stonybrook, NY: American
Association of Physics.

Layman, J. W., Ochoa, G., and Heikkinen, H. (1996). Inquiry and learning:
Realizing science standards in the classroom. New York: College Entrance
Examination Board.

National Research Council. (1999). Inquiry and the national science education
standards: A guide for teaching and learning. Washington, DC: National
Academy Press.

Osborne, R., and Freyberg, P. (1985). Learning in science: The implications of

children's science. Auckland, NZ: Heinemann.

Osborne, R. & Wittrock, M. (1983). Learning science: A generative process.

Science Education. 67(4): 489-508.

Polman, J. L. (2000). Designing project-based science: Connecting learners

through guided inquiry. New York: Teachers College Press.

Ramsey, J. (1993). Developing conceptual storylines with the learning cycle.

Journal of Elementary Science Education, 5(2), 1-20.
Saul, W., and Reardon, J. (eds.) (1996). Beyond the science kit: Inquiry in
action. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Shapiro, B. L. (1994). What children bring to light: A constructivist perspective

on children's learning in science. New York: Teachers College Press.

Short, K. G., et al. (1996). Learning together through inquiry: From Columbus
to integrated curriculum. York, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Thier, H., Karplus, R., Lawson, C., Knoll, R., & Montgomery, M. (1970).
Science curriculum improvement study. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally.

Whitin, P., and Whitin, D. J. (1997). Inquiry at the window. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.

Web Sites

 American Association for the Advancement of Science/Benchmarks for

Science Literacy
 Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry
 National Science Education Standards
 National Science Foundation

Created by: Mary Ann Coe, D. Ed.

West College of Education
Updated: November 2001