Inquiry By Design

This book is a collection of standards-based middle school challenges written in the design brief format, a strategy that blends the design process of technology education with the content and process skills of science. Simply, design briefs can be thought of as situations that require identifying, investigating, and analyzing problems. During this process, students research existing ideas, craft new thoughts, select and test possible solutions, collect and display information, analyze data, and evaluate and present data-supported outcomes in meaningful ways.

Each brief is introduced with a context statement and a brief scenario, which help establish the dilemma. The challenge invites students to solve a problem while adhering to specific limitations and rules. Whether using a kit program, a textbook, or a self-developed curriculum, this publication is a valuable asset to any collection of science education resources.

While a possible procedure is provided for each design brief, it should never be considered the only procedure. The rationale for this position is that true inquiry is unique to each individual problem solver or team. While the final outcome may be specific, the means by which that outcome is reached can be as varied as the people seeking it.