What is the role of scientific inquiry in elementary science instruction?

• A. Enable students to ask questions, plan investigations, collect data, analyze results, and draw evidence-based conclusions; emphasize curiosity and evidence.
• B. Focus on memorizing facts without investigation.
• C. Replace explanations with videos and worksheets.
• D. Emphasize passive listening and receipt of information.

Answer: (B)

Scientific inquiry in elementary science instruction centers on actively engaging students in the process of science: asking questions, planning investigations, collecting data, analyzing results, and drawing evidence-based conclusions. This approach helps students see that scientific knowledge comes from evidence gathered through careful observation and experimentation, not from simply memorizing facts. When students design and carry out investigations, they practice critical thinking, learn how to justify their ideas with data, and understand how reasoning connects observations to explanations. For example, in a lesson about plant growth, students might hypothesize how light affects growth, set up a simple experiment with different light conditions, measure and record growth over time, and compare results to determine which conditions support growth. This process builds scientific literacy and transferable problem-solving skills. Memorizing facts without investigation misses the active, investigative nature of science; relying on videos and worksheets without opportunities for students to reason with data understates the need to construct explanations from evidence; and emphasizing passive listening ignores the hands-on, constructive work that helps students understand and apply scientific ideas.