Monday, 1 July 2024

ISTE 24 Denver: Discover Denver! An Inquiry Adventure Featuring the City, a Smartphone & YOU!

This was an inquiry based hands-on lesson that put us in the shoes of our learners. Could be used for topics eg: Our Whenua or for school trips eg: Historical Village (this would require a teacher pre visit). Due to timings this would be a great activity for anyone needing to walk new teachers through the inquiry learning process. Achievable challenge for SEN/ESOL if Padlet resources were simplified. Ours had a photography component to it which kept everyone on-task and continuously generating questions as we moved between places.


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Purpose - To learn the history behind the buildings 

  • Curiosity is the strong desire to know or learn something

  • Inquiry based learning triggers curiosity

  • Inquiry positions learners in an active agent stance

  • Be an active tourist - notice things, be involved, give students a role to play and they’ll imagine and become curious

  • Look for civic pride 

  • Inspire with some photos 

  • What’s the story about who lived here before us?


Grouping Strategy:




  • Padlet - read about Denver - construct questions - decide roles

  • Self directed walk with a specific meet up point half way through

  • Padlet with multimodal resources - read, view, listen to build background knowledge



  • 10mins research before walking - show pic of point 1 



Good thinkers ask questions to ignite curiosity 

Process of the challenge:

  • Front load - generate questions and add to list on the way 

  • Collaboration

  • Take creative photos 

  • Reflect 

  • Edit photos 

  • Create a collage 

  • Add a 6 word story to describe the story behind your images


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