B.+Inquiry+Skill

“We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.” -Lloyd Alexander



This Holocaust literature study revolves around the inquiry skill of questioning. During my teaching experience, the inevitable question that accompanies any study of the Holocaust is “How could this horrible thing happen?” The question is at the core of why teachers must about teach about the atrocities of Holocaust. Investigating the answers to questions prompts students to ask more questions in attempts to understand the event. Daniel Callison relates that, “Information Inquiry deals with the questions posed from information accessed and critically evaluating that information as to relevance, authority, and completeness.”    Students move from novice to expert levels as they apply information science skills that are taught in fully-developed lessons as well as mini-lessons throughout the duration of the units. Metacognition and self-regulation skills are employed by students as they use the Big 6 as the model for their inquiry projects. Annette Lamb notes that, “Experts develop extensive knowledge that impacts the way they identify problems, organize and interpret data, and formulate solutions. Their approach to reasoning and solving information problems is different than a novice.” Sixth grade students will be introduced the Big 6 concepts and participate in activities that include more scaffolding than their ninth grade counterparts who have more experience applying the Big 6 inquiry model. 

 It is so important to know where students are coming from which is why I chose to include a detailed lesson that would serve as the first lesson in the Holocaust inquiry unit I designed. It is critical to know what students know about the topic at hand and that can be achieved with KWL charts, concept maps, and other graphic organizers. My intent is also to hook the students by discussing heroes in our culture and opening them up to consider the heroes they will read about in each of the novels.