STEAM 102-Week 3: Forum Discussion-Analysing an inquiry-based lesson

[Saadia Faisal]

Exploring Inquiry-Based Learning through a STEAM Lesson Plan

Instructions:

1- Choose one STEAM lesson plan:

Select a STEAM lesson from the shared resource

2- Analyse how the lesson promotes inquiry-based learning

Use any inquiry cycle model from the shared resource or your school’s preferred model. 
Reflect on how different phases of the lesson align with the stages of the inquiry cycle. Think, what makes this lesson an inquiry based learning.

Example: “Students begin by writing the goods and services they use in their daily lives on paper slips and arrange them in a diamond ranking . This connects to the Tuning In stage of the inquiry cycle or Exploring phase of the inquiry cycle.”

Example: “Students design and conduct a survey to collect data about the use of goods and services from two different generations. This will align with the Investigation phase of the inquiry cycle. Students studied this data and designed a comparison chart. This will align with the Sorting Out phase of the inquiry cycle.” 

3- Identify the enduring understanding

What is the big idea or lasting understanding the teacher is aiming for?

Example: “Scientific principles can be used to design creative structures.”

4- Use a question designing tool

Design at least two essential questions connected to the integrated subjects in your lesson.

Example: How can we use scientific principles to design creative structures? What scientific principles are working behind the creative structures? Why do we need scientific knowledge to design structures in our community? What if scientific principles are ignored in designing structures? 

5- Engage with a peer’s post

Respond to at least one other participant’s analysis by offering constructive feedback or reflections based on:
The Enduring Understanding
The nature of the Essential Questions
The Clarity of how the Inquiry Model is applied

Criteria/ What We’re Looking For

Connection to Inquiry Model Clearly links phases of the lesson to stages of an inquiry cycle (e.g.,
tuning in, finding out, sorting out, going further, reflecting).

Lesson Analysis Describes how inquiry is visible through student actions and/or learning
engagements in the lesson.

Essential Questions Open-ended, thought-provoking, allows subject integration and aligned
with the enduring understanding. 

Enduring Understanding Identifies a clear, transferable, integrated understanding the lesson
aims to build through two or more subjects. 

Peer Feedback Offers meaningful and constructive feedback to at least one peer
using the given criteria.

• This topic was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Saadia Faisal.
• This topic was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Saadia Faisal.
• This topic was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Saadia Faisal.
• This topic was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Saadia Faisal.

[Bothaina Ellymony]

I chose ” Textured Fireworks” lesson plan

Lesson Analysis by Inquiry Phases

Tuning In
the lesson starts by: Discuss experiences students have had with fireworks displays… What makes the colors? How do they create the designs?
This part’s all about sparking the curiosity and tapping into what learners already know.
It gets learners wondering and connects to their own experiences.

Finding Out
Next, learners read Smithsonian article called ‘5 Things You Didn’t Know about the Science of Fireworks.’ they read it, then pair up and talk about what they learned.
They are pulling info from the book and actively sharing ideas.

Sorting Out
Discuss chemical reactions that power fireworks.
Learners start to organize their understanding, connecting the article they read with key science concepts such as chemical reactions and energy transfer.

Going Further
Hands-on! learners paint fireworks shapes and sprinkle in some salt to see what happens.
The learners are creating something visually interesting.

Reflecting and acting
Discuss what happened when salt was added… describe the energy transfer.
learners share their observations and figure out what it all means for the science behind fireworks.
Learners discuss their own discoveries and explaining the chemical and physical reactions using their own words.

Taking Action
Learners create a live painted fireworks display set to music.

The Big Idea
Chemical reactions can power stunning visual and sound experiences through art.
This lesson mixes the science of chemistry and energy with the creativity of visual art and performance, showing how these worlds connect in exciting ways.

Big Questions to Ponder
– How do chemical reactions create those amazing firework displays?
– How can art and science team up to make unforgettable sensory experiences?
-How do we use scientific knowledge to safely entertain large crowds?

[Nahla Yehia]

Hi Bothaina

I really enjoyed reading your analysis of the Textured Fireworks lesson! You clearly laid out how each phase of the inquiry cycle is embedded in the lesson, and I especially appreciated how you linked student actions to deeper inquiry (like how the salt and watercolor experiment connects to energy transfer and chemical reactions).

Enduring Understanding

Your enduring understanding that “chemical reactions can power stunning visual and sound experiences through art is both clear and transferable. It beautifully captures the integration of science and art in a way that students will remember. You might even consider broadening it slightly to include the concept of energy transformation through artistic media for future interdisciplinary links.

Essential Questions

Your essential questions are excellent they are open-ended, promote critical thinking, and highlight the real-world relevance of science and art coming together. I especially liked:

“How can art and science team up to make unforgettable sensory experiences?”

Application of Inquiry Model

You did a great job mapping the inquiry cycle to the lesson.

Thanks for such a thoughtful breakdown this was inspiring to read!

[carolineselim]

✅ Enduring Understanding
Your stated enduring understanding is strong and clearly reflects the core purpose of the lesson:

“Descriptive language helps us to vividly express ideas and feelings about the world around us, enriching our communication and creativity.”

Strengths:

It integrates language, movement, and music—all central to the lesson.

It goes beyond just describing animals—it emphasizes communication, expression, and creativity, which is the deeper learning goal.

Suggestion:
You could slightly refine the language to make it even more focused on the interdisciplinary nature of the lesson. For example:

“We can use descriptive language, music, and movement together to creatively express ideas and emotions about the world around us.”

This version explicitly links the STEAM elements and makes the cross-disciplinary aim more visible.

❓ Essential Questions
Your essential questions are age-appropriate, open-ended, and connected to the enduring understanding.

Strengths:

They promote curiosity and critical thinking.

They are clear and relevant to students’ experiences in the lesson.

They encourage students to reflect on how different modes of expression (music, movement, language) work together.

Suggestions:
You might consider rephrasing one of the questions to encourage even more active exploration. For example:

“What do we notice about animals when we listen to music and move like them?”

This shifts from hypothetical to experiential, inviting students to make personal discoveries.

🔄 Inquiry Cycle Application
Your mapping of each step to the inquiry phases (I Wonder, I Investigate, I Record, etc.) is well done. It shows a clear progression from curiosity to reflection.

Strengths:

Each step has a clear student action linked to it.

The use of verbs like wonder, investigate, try, reflect mirrors authentic inquiry language.

The cycle encourages layered learning: listening, acting, writing, and performing.

Suggestions:

In Step 6 (“I Try”), you might emphasize not just testing their language but also receiving peer feedback. This could be added as:

“They test whether their descriptive language communicates clearly and gather feedback through classmates’ responses.”

For Step 7 (“I Reflect”), consider how students might self-assess or set goals for future communication. For example:

“They reflect on their use of descriptive words and think about how they can improve their storytelling using different modes.”

⭐ Final Reflection
Overall, this analysis clearly shows how the “Animal Actions” lesson is a rich, inquiry-based experience that integrates ELA, music, movement, and creativity. You’ve done an excellent job of aligning each phase of the lesson with meaningful inquiry actions. The enduring understanding and questions are thoughtful and developmentally appropriate.

With small refinements, this could be a model example of how to analyze a STEAM lesson through inquiry!

[Aya Fouad]

• Analysis of Inquiry-Based Learning in the “Producing Beats” Lesson:
I was excited to use the “Producing Beats” lesson plan which is designed for high school students in a STEAM context (Engineering + Music), I found it an excellent example of this pedagogical approach. Using the Inquiry Learning Cycle as a framework, the same one I used with my peers during our last session. This analysis examines how the different stages of the lesson align with each phase of the cycle and explains why the lesson qualifies as inquiry-based.
I Wonder
In Step 1, students are introduced to different versions of music (live and studio) and are asked to engage in a “Hear, Think, Wonder” routine. This stage sparks curiosity and encourages students to ask questions and express their initial thoughts. This aligns perfectly with the “I Wonder” phase where learners begin by noticing differences and posing inquiries about the nature of music production.
I Investigate
Step 2 deepens the inquiry as students discuss their ideas on the differences between live and studio recordings. They also watch a 4-minute video on mixing and mastering, which supports them in researching and planning.
I Record
In Steps 3 and 4, roles are assigned, and students start selecting a poem and planning their performance. They begin documenting their creative and technical plans.
I Discover
Step 5 allows each student to select a poem and start imagining how to transform it into a performance. They experiment with tone, fluency, and emphasis, which aligns with the “I Discover” phase. This is the point where they observe and interpret how performance choices affect meaning and emotional impact.
I Think
In Step 6, the producer gives feedback, performers reflect on suggestions, and changes are made. The engineer listens for flaws and enhances the work. This mirrors the “I Think” phase, where students analyze, discuss alternatives, and revise based on logic and peer input. It promotes deeper metacognition and problem-solving.
I Try
This phase is embedded in Step 6 as well. Students experiment with re-recordings, add effects, and rework their interpretations. They are actively engaged in trial-and-error learning and iterative development—key principles of “I Try.”

I Reflect
Step 7 and the Assessment: Music Mixing Critique component close the loop by encouraging students to reflect on both live and edited performances. Through peer listening and rubric-based critique, they examine how effectively they applied mixing and mastering techniques.
Why This Lesson Is Inquiry-Based
The “Producing Beats” lesson puts students at the center of the learning process. They explore real-world roles (producer, engineer, performer), use professional tools (Garage band, Audacity), and engage in authentic tasks. Students construct knowledge through questioning, collaboration, problem-solving, and reflection. The learning is not linear but cyclical, allowing students to revisit and refine ideas. It integrates arts and engineering, making it a true STEAM experience.
The presence of student choice (poem selection), collaboration (group work), and iterative design (feedback and revisions) empowers students and supports inquiry-based pedagogy. Importantly, the teacher’s role transitions from instructor to facilitator, guiding students through the cycle of discovery rather than providing predetermined answers.

• Identify the enduring understanding
I think the big idea or lasting understanding the teacher is aiming for in the “Producing Beats” lesson is: Creative expression in music and spoken word can be enhanced through technology and collaboration, and the process of producing sound involves intentional choices that affect meaning and emotional impact. This understanding is designed to last beyond the lesson by helping students see that engineering design thinking and music are interconnected.

• Use a question designing tool

Factual:
What is the difference between live and studio-recorded music?
Conceptual:
How does the role of a producer or sound engineer influence the final version of a performance?
Debatable:
Does technology improve or take away from the authenticity of artistic expression in music and poetry?

[Aya Fouad]

Bothaina, I really enjoyed reading your analysis of the “Textured Fireworks” lesson! You clearly broke down each phase of the inquiry process and showed how the lesson encourages curiosity, hands-on learning, and creative expression. I especially liked how you highlighted the connection between chemical reactions and art — it really shows the power of STEAM learning. The live painted fireworks display set to music sounds like such a fun and memorable way to bring everything together! I also like the essential questions you included — they’re so related with the STEAM focus of the lesson. The first one, “How do chemical reactions create those amazing firework displays?” really drives the scientific inquiry, while the second one, “How can art and science team up to make unforgettable sensory experiences?” encourages creative thinking and interdisciplinary connections. I also think the third question about safety and crowd entertainment adds a real-world relevance that makes the learning even more meaningful. Great balance of curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in your big questions!

[Bothaina Ellymony]

Dear Aya,

Thank you for your thoughtful input on the “Producing Beats” lesson.
You did a great job identifying the inquiry processes and creating a clear set of essential questions using the question design tool.

Enduring Understanding
Your statement about the big idea is well-written and captures the heart of the lesson.
You explained clearly how technology and collaboration help shape creative work, and how students learn that their choices in sound production have meaning and impact. It also shows a great connection between music and engineering thinking.

Essential Questions
Your factual, conceptual, and debatable questions are all well-chosen:

Factual: This question is clear and supports students in building basic knowledge.

Conceptual: It encourages students to consider how different roles affect the final outcome.

Debatable: This is a strong question that enhance critical thinking and class discussions.

[Rowaa Mohamed]

Analysing an inquiry-based lesson
From Lesson: Patterns in the Universe (CONTENT Standard: 1-ESS1-1

1- Students begin by reading the book Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me with a specific task: during the reading, observe the different ways the moon appears. This connects to the Engage phase of the inquiry cycle.

2- The teacher explains that the sun and moon move in the sky in a pattern, then asks students to analyze this pattern and describe their observations. This aligns with the Explain phase of the inquiry cycle.

3- Students explore and demonstrate low, medium, and high body positions. This activity aligns with the Explore phase of the inquiry cycle, introducing new concepts and encouraging connections with prior knowledge through physical embodiment

4- Students are asked to draw what the sun or moon might look like in three stages: a) Rising; b) Mid-day or mid-night; c) Setting. This aligns with the Explore phase, as students actively investigate concepts through hands-on activities, observing and representing patterns in movements.

5- Students are asked to get into groups of three and put on their dancer shoes. This aligns with the Elaborate phase, encouraging students to apply their understanding in new contexts. Creating a movement dance allows students to express their knowledge of the sun or moon’s patterns creatively.

6- The teacher asks students to think about how they will show the pattern of the sun or moon using their bodies as dancers and different levels. This aligns with the Explain phase, as students decide how to represent the sun or moon’s positions (rising, mid-day/mid-night, setting) through body movements at different levels, interpreting and expressing their comprehension of the patterns.

7- Students are asked to pair up a sun and a moon group and then have the group combine their dances to show the pattern between the sun and the moon. This aligns with the Elaborate phase, encouraging students to apply their knowledge by collaborating to combine their sun and moon dances, integrating their individual understandings to model the relationship between the sun and moon.
Students perform their combined sun and moon dances for the class, which represents the Earth. This aligns with the Evaluate phase, as students demonstrate their understanding and skills, allowing both self-assessment and teacher assessment of their learning progress. Performing the dance requires students to apply their knowledge creatively, showcasing their grasp of concepts like movement levels and celestial patterns.

The enduring understanding
The big idea of the lesson is: To observe and describe the predictable patterns of the sun and moon in the sky.

Essential Questions
– In what ways can we represent the movements of the sun and moon to better understand their patterns?

– How does the change of the sun and moon positions throughout the day can be described in a pattern?

[Bothayna emad]

Dear Ms.Rowaa,
This analysis thoughtfully breaks down the inquiry-based lesson, clearly aligning each activity with the respective phases of the inquiry cycle. It highlights how the lesson engages students through multiple modes of learning—literacy, observation, physical movement, artistic expression, and collaboration—which supports diverse learning styles. The use of dance as a creative way to embody scientific concepts stands out as an effective strategy for deepening understanding.

[Rowaa Mohamed]

Dear Ms. Bothina,
I truly appreciated your insightful analysis and the way you clearly aligned each classroom step with the phases of the inquiry-based learning cycle.
Big Idea:
clearly explains how chemical reactions are responsible for the visual and sound effects in fireworks. It effectively connects science and art, helping students understand how these two areas work together to create exciting experiences.
the Big Questions
The questions you’ve posed are engaging and encourage students to think deeply about the science behind fireworks and how it relates to art and safety.

[Bothayna emad]

Analysing the lesson plan “Animal Actions” using inquiry cycle:
Step 1: Discuss and review words that come to mind when describing a lion/elephant. Chart these words according to parts of speech.
• I Wonder
• Students start by wondering about lions and elephants, sharing initial thoughts and questions. This sparks curiosity as they think about how to describe these animals.
Step 2: Listen to the Lion/Elephant music selections from “The Carnival of the Animals”.
• I Investigate
• Students investigate by listening carefully to the music, exploring how sounds can represent the animals’ characteristics and movements.
Step 3: Discuss the animals’ characteristics and surroundings based on the music. Chart additional descriptive words.
• I Record
• As they discuss, students record new ideas and descriptive words inspired by the music, adding to the word chart to capture evolving thoughts.
Step 4: Students pantomime the animals when the music plays again. Add more descriptive words to the chart.
• I Discover
• By acting out the animals, students discover deeper insights about how the animals move and behave, enriching their vocabulary with new descriptive words.
Step 5: In groups, write sentences using descriptive language about one of the animals and illustrate them.
• I Think
• Students think carefully about how to use the descriptive words in sentences. They plan their writing and illustrations, making choices to best express their ideas.
Step 6: Share sentences and act them out in tableaux; classmates guess the sentences.
• I Try
• Students try out their sentences by performing tableaux. They test whether their descriptive language clearly communicates meaning and see if classmates can guess correctly.
Step 7: Class discussion praising the use of descriptive language in writing.
• I Reflect
• The class reflects together on what worked well and how effectively they used descriptive language. They consider their learning progress and how they can improve.
Enduring Understanding
The big idea the teacher is aiming for:
“Descriptive language helps us to vividly express ideas and feelings about the world around us, enriching our communication and creativity.”
This understanding highlights that through listening, movement, speaking, writing, and visual art, students learn how carefully chosen words bring animals and their actions to life, enhancing both creativity and communication skills.
Essential questions:
• How can we use words to help others imagine animals and actions?
• How can music help us understand and imagine animals or stories?
• Why do artists use different ways like music, movement, and words to communicate?
• What might happen if we only use words without music or movement when telling a story?

[Aya Fouad]

Bothaina 😍
Very interesting lesson chosen, I especially loved how you linked each phase of the inquiry cycle so clearly, from “I Wonder” to “I Reflect.” The hands-on experiences like listening to music, acting out the animals. Your essential questions are strong and well-connected to the big idea. I think “How can we use words to help others imagine animals and actions?” and “How can music help us understand and imagine animals or stories?” are both really powerful — they encourage students to think beyond just writing and see language as something expressive and dynamic.

[Author]

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