Education Commons^™

The Learning Spiral: Taking The Lead From How Young Children Learn, Martha Taylor Dever

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

The questions at right, asked by 2nd-graders, launch a scientific inquiry about owls. As the 7-year-olds investigate stuffed owl specimens, they express their need to know. Some children continue to stroke the owls' feathers, touch a sharp claw, and ask questions about the mouth, while others immediately turn to printed materials to clarify their questions. This new experience with owls ignites the children's sense of wonder, and the intrinsically motivated scientific inquiry begins.