Date: Fri 05-Jun-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

Hawley-spirit-of-inquiry

Full Text:

In The Spirit Of Inquiry

(with cuts)

BY MICHELE HOGAN

When we say something, we assume our listener understands. But do they really

know what we mean?

Fourth graders in Kelly Shea's class at Hawley School were in for some big

surprises when they tried to communicate a simple message using words alone.

This lesson, part of the Spirit of Inquiry program, is an outreach of

"Discovery, the Intellectually Gifted Program."

It brings teachers trained in working with intellectually gifted students into

fourth grade classes throughout the district.

In a lesson to strengthen communication skills and teamwork, Cheryl Caloras,

Spirit of Inquiry program teacher, told the children in Mrs Shea's class to

sit back-to-back with a partner. She then told them to color-in some shapes

which they will then cut and paste on fresh paper, and have to describe

verbally to their partner.

Alicia Tolson enjoyed coloring in dots and diagonal lines, then went to great

lengths trying to accurately describe them to her partner, Amanda Tamborino.

Reasoning that details counted, Kara Whipkey decided to have as few of them as

possible. She colored each shape one solid color, and her partner got every

color right.

But there was another problem that was much harder than the colors.

How do you describe exactly where to paste the eight shapes on a sheet of

paper?

Preferring simplicity over complexity once again, Kara lined her shapes up in

two neat rows, called out the shapes in order, and had partner Lauren Hubbard

place them in that order.

But Lauren didn't ask which way the shapes should face, and Kara didn't tell

her, so they were somewhat surprised when they found that Kara's oblongs and

triangles faced in a different direction from Lauren's.

Not permitted rulers for measuring, some students utilized other measurement

tools. Mrs Caloras said that in one class, a child used the little metal part

that held her eraser at the end of her pencil as a unit of measurement. She

then described to her partner the exact number of eraser tips between shapes

and the edge of the page.

Another strategy kids sometimes develop is making a composite image with the

shapes.

Ricky Andrews made a composite human shape which he called "grenade head" but

thinking that this description would lead his partner astray, he didn't tell

him.

He told Kevin "put the triangle beside the rectangle" but didn't mention that

the triangle was supposed to be attached to the rectangle because it was his

humanoid's arm.

When Ricky saw Kevin's copy with disjointed arms and one terribly extended

"leg" he said "Holy Cow. Oh my gosh."

Kevin said "You should have said it looks like a human."

Ricky countered "Well, it's really a grenade-head human." He paused, then said

"I guess I could have said `like a grenade-head human.'

They changed places. Now it was Ricky's turn to copy Kevin's pattern, which he

did armed with the new strategy of describing the overall pattern as well as

the details.

This kind of self-assessment in learning is an important part of the Spirit of

Inquiry program.

Fourth grade partners Sarah Wilson and Lauren Reagle were also learning to

describe the positioning of their shapes better. Before switching 'artist' and

'copy-cat' roles, Sarah said "I should have told you about the spaces around

it [the shapes]." Lauren said, "You could have said whether it was a diagonal.

You have to be so exact when you do this."

Reflecting on how she could use what she was learning, Sarah said "it helps us

to be descriptive." Lauren interjected, "It could help our writing skills, to

elaborate."

Kelly Shea, teacher said that the Spirit of Inquiry extends creativity,

analytic skills, research skills, teamwork and problem solving.

Sally Harris and Mrs Caloras teach both the Discovery Program for

Intellectually Gifted students and the Spirit of Inquiry outreach brought to

all fourth grade classes in the Newtown public school system.

Guided Imagery

Mrs Caloras spoke enthusiastically about several other lessons she does with

fourth graders, including one of visualization.

Connecting inquiry goals with the content curriculum, Mrs Caloras presented

guided imagery to fourth graders studying ocean life at Head O' Meadow School

in an imaginary underwater cruise.

Eyes closed, soothing music and whale sounds in the background, Mrs Caloras

led the children in guided imagery. She said, "They dove off a boat and

explored sea life, and found creatures that they were learning about."

Learning to relax, "to go inside of themselves and feel centered" gives

children a tool to relieve stress before exams. More than that, Mrs Caloras

said "children who visualize are much better readers. If children can learn to

utilize it as a tool, it can help with conceptual understanding of math,

science, any part of the curriculum."

Another favorite lesson by children and teachers alike is the scavenger hunt

to teach research skills. Children can select a list of things to find. Some

they find in the library, others they find in their own minds.

One list asked students to find "the smallest thing that makes the biggest

thing move the farthest." One fourth grader brought in the worn-out battery

from her dog's electronic collar. She told her classmates and her inquiry

teacher that "one tiny worn-out battery makes my mom's big car go all over the

neighborhood looking for the dog." This kind of creative synthesis of ideas is

also strongly encouraged through the Spirit of Inquiry Program.

Mrs Caloras loves to bring these and other open-ended challenges to fourth

graders. She said "the kids can weed their way through. They find their own

direction. The kids love this kind of stuff. They don't even realize the

critical and creative thinking they are doing."

The Discovery Program staff welcomes teachers throughout the district to draw

from their library of lessons designed to help students think fluently and

flexibly, build teamwork and collaboration and bring out the gifts of all

students.