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Inquiry Cycle Guide
Adapted from the Kath Murdoch Model
Tuning In
What interests me about this? (Engage in the area of focus/Concepts/C.I./T.T.)
What do I already know and believe? (Share prior knowledge and beliefs)
What do the words/phrases in the C.I. mean? (Clarify language; “guess”, then find definitions)
What do I want to know more about? What questions do I have? (Exercise curiosity)
How could I find out more about this? (Brainstorm ways/sources to answer your
questions)
Finding Out
 What’s my Purpose? (This is the “Big Inquiry Question” to prove the C.I./Lines of Inquiry)
 What do I need to find out? (I need to create Supporting Questions (and connect them to
Concepts) that will answer the Big Inquiry Question & then create Research Questions that
will answer the Supporting Questions)
 How will I find out? (Resources, e.g., engaging w/ experts, interviews, film, observations)
 What type of evidence will I collect? (E.g., notes, recordings, photographs)
 What is my plan for finding out information? (Student Inquiry Planner)
 Investigate.
Sorting Out
How will I organize what I have learned so far? (E.g., Use a graphic organizer to put the
information in order using criteria that will help you make meaning out of it)
How will I analyze what I have learned so far? (Break down information into parts and
carefully/thoroughly examine the key information. Possible questions: How can I separate the
info into categories? Is any info similar? Does any info connect with other info? What info is
relevant to my supporting/research questions? What parts support my answers? How does it
relate to what else I know? What parts do not support my inquiry? Does it raise any new
questions? What meaning can I make of this data? Are there key words that help me understand
better? Are there patterns to the info?)
How well did I find out?
-Do I have enough information to answer my supporting questions?
-Do I have the right information?
-Can I answer my Research Questions, Supporting Questions, & the Big Inquiry Question?
How will I share what I have learned so far? (I.e., What are we learning? How will I
communicate that?)

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Do I need more questions?
T.T. = Transdisciplinary Theme; C.I. = Central Idea; Sources: Kath Murdoch Inquiry Cycle; Focus on Inquiry, Jeni Wilson and Lesley Wing Jan, 2009; & Pauline Doolette-Cox; Updated 1/30/13
Inquiry Cycle Guide (cont.)
Adapted from the Kath Murdoch Model
Going Further (an independent inquiry)
What else would I like to learn? Why?
How is this linked to the B.I.Q., C.I., and/or T.T.?
When I revisit old questions, what do I notice?
What are my new questions? How will I find out? (Plan)
Find Out.
Drawing Conclusions (stating understandings)
 What have I learned? (Synthesize/bring it all together)
 What do I now think and know?
 What is the main point I want to make?
 How can I generalize what I have learned?(As if I were in a discussion explaining my
findings to someone)
 What connections can I make?
-to the Supporting Questions/Lines of Inquiry
-to the Big Inquiry Question/Purpose
-to the Concepts (understanding)
-to the Central Idea and the Transdisciplinary Theme
-to new or developed skills
Taking Action (Choose Act Reflect)
What choices will I make as a result of what I’ve learned? What have I learned that I
can use elsewhere? (Choose to Act)
What should I do now? (My Plan to Act)
Take action. (Act)
How did this action come about voluntarily as a result of the inquiry/learning process?
How did my actions make a difference in and to the world? (E.g., to self, family,
classroom, hallways, playground, city, country, and/or planet)
Did I witness an outcome? (Reflect on these Actions)
Reflecting
 What, How and Why has learning come about?

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 What did I learn about this topic? Most significant? Most interesting?
 What did I learn about myself?
T.T. = Transdisciplinary Theme; C.I. = Central Idea; Sources: Kath Murdoch Inquiry Cycle; Focus on Inquiry, Jeni Wilson and Lesley Wing Jan, 2009; & Pauline Doolette-Cox; Updated 1/30/13