What is an inquiry?
An inquiry means finding out about something step by step. You ask questions, look for facts, and think before you decide.
It is different from just giving an opinion. In an inquiry we check our facts and listen to other views.
The three steps in this lesson: choose an issue, propose solutions, present and discuss.
Step 1: Choosing an issue
An issue is a problem many people care about, such as dirty water, litter or traffic jams.
Good questions to pick an issue:
- Is it a real problem? Can I find facts?
- How many people does it affect?
- Can I learn enough about it in the time I have?
- Do I care about it?
Write the issue as a question: "How can our street have clean drinking water?"
Community, nation and world
A community is the people near you. A nation is a country. The global society is all people on Earth. One issue, like waste, can show up at all three levels. Start where you can collect facts, then look wider.
Step 2: Proposing solutions
List several ideas, not just one. For each idea ask:
- Cost: money, time and effort.
- Benefit: who gets help and how much.
- Side effects: could it hurt someone or something?
- Who must act: students, families, local office, government?
Compare the ideas. Pick the one with the best benefit for its cost, or mix two ideas. Say why you picked it, with facts.
Use facts, not guesses
Facts come from counting, asking people, reading reliable reports and looking at records. Always note where a fact came from.
Step 3: Presenting and discussing
Tell others what you learned in a clear order: the issue, the facts, your solutions, and your pick.
- Use short sentences, a picture or a chart.
- Keep to the time.
- Listen to questions. Do not argue to win; try to understand.
- If someone gives a better point, change your plan. That is good thinking.
After the talk, write what you would change next time.
Try it
Pick one problem in your street or school. Count it for three days (for example, pieces of litter). Write two ideas to fix it and give each a score for cost and benefit from 1 to 10. Present your best idea to a friend in two minutes and note one question they asked.
Key formulas and definitions
- Inquiry = Choose an issue + Propose solutions + Present and discuss
- Issue = a real problem that affects many people
- Best idea = most benefit for the cost, with the least harm
- Levels: community, nation, global society
Worked examples
1. Three issues: litter affects 40 people, water affects 90, traffic affects 70. Which should the class pick if it wants to help the most people?
Water affects the most people (90), so it is the strongest choice, if the class can also find facts and ideas for it.
2. Idea A costs 7 and gives benefit 9. Idea B costs 1 and gives benefit 2. Idea C costs 5 and gives benefit 6. Which gives the best gain for the cost?
Gain = benefit minus cost: A = 2, B = 1, C = 1. Idea A gives the biggest gain, so pick A.
3. A student says "Plastic bags are bad" and nothing more. What should she add to make it an inquiry?
Facts (how many bags are used, where they end up), one or two solutions to compare, and a question that others can discuss.
Common mistakes
- Picking an issue that is too big, like "end all pollution". Make it small enough to study.
- Using opinions as facts. Always say where a fact came from.
- Presenting only one solution. Compare at least two.
- Arguing to win in discussion instead of listening to improve your idea.