Whether in the classroom or at home, how do we initiate the process of student-designed lab or field experiments? The first step is to help the students see potential research questions and the data in the world around them. In this 1.5-hour workshop we engage in several demonstration activities to help teachers see sources for inquiry that are easily accessible. We will use spreadsheets to gather large amounts of data very quickly, and then look for trends in the data to expand our initial question into additional research questions. This repeatable technique is one that can be used in a synchronous or asynchronous class, in-person or in a distance-learning environment. Each data-generating activity explored can be used with students to practice analysis and graphing, or to develop a sophisticated investigation for use as an independent research project or Internal Assessment.
Although the examples in this workshop will be based in math and science, this 1.5-hour workshop is open to teachers of all grade levels and subject areas.