The Development of ‘Water strider’ Inquiry Learning Program for Improving Scientific Inquiry Learning Ability in the Chapter ‘the Little Creatures World’ of the Korea Elementary School 5th Grade Science Textbook

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a ‘Water strider’ Inquiry Learning Program for improved inquiry learning, and to analyze the validity of the ‘Water strider.’ The Inquiry Learning Program’s goal was to create an application for finding out an on-site applicability for the ‘Water strider’ Inquiry Learning Program through the Elementary school teachers’ workshop. The following are the summarizations of the main issues of study. First, the ‘Water strider’ Inquiry Learning Program, (or W.S.I.L.P. for short) consisted of five subjects: comprehension of surface tension, collecting and raising water striders, the secret of water striders’ body, the condition of floating water striders, and making the model of water striders. There were 10 small group activities which were organized by themes including Prediction, Observation, Explanation, Reflection, and an Additional questions stage. Using these, the students could then comprehend the water strider’s structural features and the scientific principles. Secondly, in the assessment of on-site applicability, which elementary school teachers directly implemented, each activity consisted of immediate manipulation activities to help increase the students’ interest. They were not only able to easily comprehend the scientific inquiry ability, but also the inquiry ability of the W.S.I.L.P. The ‘Water strider’ Inquiry Learning Program can also be useful for science club activities in addition to the regular curriculum time because of the integrative lessons that will be available by using the ‘Water strider’ Inquiry Learning Program.