EEPE, Teaching Ecology in the Schoolyard

Teaching Ecology in the Schoolyard

The Inquiry Cycle is a straightforward means of creating new knowledge in the community, and is the basis for Teaching Ecology in the Schoolyard, an approach that focuses on education in ecology and natural sciences.

The first step of the Inquiry Cycle is to pose a question based on observation of our surroundings, our curiosity or concerns, and the knowledge already in our possession. In the second step, called first-hand experience or action, we answer the question, outlining how we propose to gather the information required to do so (design, data collection, tables, analysis and graphics). In the third step we reflect on the results obtained and ask whether they could be applied to a broader context than that of the schoolyard. This reflection may lead us on to further cycles, creating a chain of inquiry.

For more information on working with this methodology, visit the EEPE website