AP Biology: Transitioning to Inquiry-Based Labs
Workshop description
Inquiry-based labs allow students to engage in science practices that require them to think and act like scientists. The focus in AP Biology is shifting from content coverage — breadth — toward enduring understandings and scientific reasoning skills — depth. This workshop will provide AP Biology teachers with a means to understand inquiry and its place in the classroom. Participants will analyze how traditional labs differ from inquiry-based labs and investigate a system that they can use to modify traditional, "cookbook" labs to make them inquiry-based. In addition, participants will have an opportunity to plan how they will transition their curricula to focus on inquiry. Participants will leave this workshop with the ability to confidently create inquiry-based labs that they can immediately use in their classrooms.
Workshop goal
Participants will learn strategies for modifying traditional labs and incorporating inquiry-based labs into their AP Biology curricula.
Learning outcomes
After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Use current research and models of inquiry-based labs to understand differing lab structures
- Recognize the cognitive processes that students engage in during various laboratory investigations and identify the tasks that enable different levels of inquiry (confirmation, structured, guided or open inquiry)
- Practice modifying traditional labs to make them inquiry-based
Agenda
- Welcome and Introductions
- Defining Inquiry
- Levels of Inquiry
- Modifying Traditional Labs
- Lab Investigations and the AP Biology Exam
- Classroom Connections
- Implementing Inquiry-Based Labs
- Workshop Summary and Closing