In following with this, I compared different units of
study about the environment and environmental issues from different curricula to discover how each curriculum — using either inquiry and direct-based approaches — equipped teachers to have their students learn and practice the “Four Cs” as well as problem solving. The inquiry-based curricula include a more balanced collection of features that have built-in support for teachers to facilitate 21st-century learning.6 These inquiry-based curricula have more activi- ties that naturally provide teachers with ways of supporting foundational skills like critical thinking and communica- tion as well as next-level skills like collaboration, creativity, and problem solving — all imperative to thriving in the 21st century.6 After reviewing different studies on the effectiveness
of direct or inquiry-based approaches, I found that both techniques yielded positive, negative, and neutral out- comes. This suggests that there may not be one instructional approach that is most effective for every student population.6 However, educators should consider whether or not the cur- riculum they use includes a balance of 21st-century skills and learning in its framework. They may ask, will this cur- riculum support students in becoming equally effective as independent critical thinkers, communicators of their ideas with others (in speech and in writing), and creative collabo- rators who can work toward a goal and solve problems? Until direct instruction becomes more balanced, inquiry- based learning curricula have more 21st-century learning skills and practices built into their frameworks and may be more effective for preparing the next generation of learners. When debating between which approach would be best for their population of students, teachers, schools and admin- istrators could consider a blend of direct and inquiry-based instruction.6 Additionally, teachers using English Language Arts curricula need to be proactive about how they can better incorporate a balance of 21st-century learning skills into their lessons so that their teaching doesn’t just become direct instruction, especially when dealing with the topic of the environment, which has a great potential for exploration, inquiry, and discovery.6
Instructional context The different components of the following lessons have been tested out in different pieces over the years and were originally created for integrated co-teaching (ICT) 7th-grade, English Language Arts (ELA), in-person classes, but they can be adapted for different grade levels and — although not the focus of this article — for remote learning. The follow- ing learning sequence is part of a larger argument-focused unit called “People and the Planet” with the essential ques- tion of what impacts do people have on the environment? This particular part of the unit focuses specifically on humanity’s impact on animal species and whether zoological institutions like zoos and animal parks truly serve to benefit animals and conservation efforts. In this way, students will be focusing specifically on using different persuasive tech- niques to argue the ethics of keeping animals in human care — whether humans have a more positive or negative impact on supporting our planet’s biodiversity through the use of zoos and animal parks. Woven into the framework of these ELA-focused lessons are different opportunities for students
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to engage in the “Four Cs.”5 Lastly, each session can be split to accommodate classes that may need more time to dive deeper into certain concepts.
ELA inquiry-based mini-unit lesson plan outlines: Weighing the pros and cons of animals in human care
Through this ELA inquiry-based investigation, consider the balance and flow of the “Four Cs” through each session.
Overall mini-unit learning target I can determine whether the benefits of keeping animals in human care outweigh the costs.
The flow of student goals Students will be able to… • Session 1 – Build knowledge about persuasive tech- niques (Collaboration, Critical Thinking): Students will gain background knowledge about different persua- sive techniques in ads, videos, and writing in order to frame their research from an unbiased perspective.
• Session 2 – Research (Critical Thinking, Collabora- tion): Students will gather evidence and determine the benefits and costs of keeping animals in human care through inquiry-based zoo exploration and viewing/read- ing media and text sources.
• Session 3 – Discuss (Communication): Students will engage in a Socratic seminar/Fishbowl discussion about the costs versus benefits of keeping animals in human care.
• Session 4 – Create and take a stand (Creativity, Critical Thinking, & Collaboration): Students can be grouped according to their stance and product choices. They can choose to design/direct a Powtoon, Brainpop, or Flipgrid video or write a persuasive letter or essay that either 1) conveys their stance and potential solutions (sent to a city or state representative like Senator Cath- leen Galgiani, either in support or opposition of her bill to ban dolphins from being held in human care) OR 2) conveys their stance about animals in human care (sent to a local zoological institution).
Click here for printable versions of the activities.
Pamela Chin is a middle school English Language Arts teacher in New York City. With the goal of more effectively incorporating her personal passion for sustainability and conservation into her classroom, she is working toward a Master of Arts in Teaching in the Biological Sciences with the Advanced Inquiry Program, a partnership between Mi- ami University’s Dragonfly program and the Wildlife Conser- vation Society. She hopes to provide more opportunities for educators and students to engage in authentic, interdisci- plinary learning through an inquiry-based approach as they work toward sustainable solutions to environmental issues in the local communities in and around New York City. She fell in love with the natural world upon visiting the Grand Canyon as a kid and then trekking through many more na- tional parks as an adult. She hopes to share this love of our planet with her students and foster a curiosity for natural discovery every day.
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