The following checklist may be useful for teachers who are implementing inquiry-based learning
For students with limited inquiry experience (usually Grade 4 to Grade 6)
❑ Students, with guidance, select specific topics within a general curriculum theme selected by the teacher.
❑ Students work from background knowledge provided by the teacher or their own experiences and build basic understandings of the general curriculum theme.
❑ Teacher provides carefully selected resources, including Internet sites, for students and also encourages and supports student searches.
❑ Students talk to others, using appropriate protocol, to gather information about their topic.
❑ Students are specifically taught skills for reading more complex informational texts.
❑ Students are taught basic search engine strategies for the Internet, including how different search engines work.
❑ Students begin to use finding guides, such as online library catalogues, online subject directories, keyword and subject searches, indexes, tables of contents, and databases.
❑ Students are taught note-taking skills, using graphic organizers provided by the teacher.
❑ Students create a basic report or presentation based on specific guidelines. Students are encouraged to be creative in their product.
❑ Students use technology to locate graphics and media to enhance their presentations and reports.
❑ Students share their final report/project with small groups, with other classes and with family.
❑ Teacher identifies and shares evaluation criteria for the process and the product.
❑ Students can play a role in setting evaluation criteria for the process and the product.
❑ Students understand evaluation criteria for the process and the product.
❑ Students learn and apply appropriate peer-evaluation skills.
❑ Students talk about their feelings and progress each class.
❑ Teacher monitors progress at the end of each class.
❑ Students talk about what went well and what was challenging.
(taken from Focus on Inquiry)