How To Scaffold Inquiry-Based Learning in the Classroom with One Super Simple Question

Do your students often look for the easy way out, asking you for answers instead of searching for them? That mindset contradicts the essence of classroom inquiry-based learning.

How to Scaffold Inquiry-Based Learning in the Classroom

Instead of simply asking, "What’s the answer?" or "Can you explain this to me?" we want students to ask deeper questions like, "How do we know this happened?" "What evidence supports this claim?" "Why did people respond the way they did?"

Inquiry-based learning isn’t about passively receiving information. Inquiry-based learning is about investigating, analyzing, and drawing conclusions independently.

So how do we get students to think this way?

​It starts with one powerful question: When they ask you directly for an answer, respond with "How can you find out?"
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This one little question builds independence, resourcefulness, and critical thinking. These are skills students need not just in school but in life.

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Why This Matters: A Real-Life Example

A neighbor recently told me how he had to secure a summer internship for his 20-something son, which is a requirement for his college degree. 
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The problem? His son had never been required to figure things out on his own before. He had always been handed instructions, resources, and answers.

When it came time to find an internship, he had no idea where to start and instead relied on his father to figure it out for him.

This is why inquiry-based learning is so important. It helps students become problem-solvers, researchers, and doers rather than passive receivers of information.

Inquiry-Based Learning: Teaching Students How to Learn

Education is undergoing a major shift from passive, teacher-led instruction to active, student-driven exploration. Instead of simply memorizing facts and recalling information for a test, students are now encouraged to question, investigate, and create as part of their learning process.

Several inquiry learning experiences reflect this transformation, each designed to put students in the driver’s seat, and all are inquiry-based:

Project-Based Learning (PBL): Students dive into real-world projects that require critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Instead of being handed all the information, they research, partner with real community experts and stakeholders, and develop solutions on their own.

Problem-Based Learning (PrBL) Challenges: Students tackle complex, real-world problems that don’t have a single, clear-cut answer. They identify key issues, gather information from multiple sources, and propose well-supported solutions.

STEM/STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) education emphasizes hands-on, inquiry-driven learning. Students might design prototypes, run experiments, or analyze data to answer their own questions.

Experimental Inquiry: In this approach, students design and carry out experiments to investigate their own hypotheses or questions. They apply experimental inquiry to test ideas, collect data, analyze results, and draw conclusions. This process not only deepens the understanding of content but also helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through trial and error.

The common thread across all these approaches? They empower students to take ownership of their learning by asking and answering the essential question: "How can you find out?" 
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When students develop the ability to seek answers on their own, they’re not just learning content; they're building the skills they need to thrive in the real world.

"How Can You Find Out?" in Action

A Small-Scale Example: Exploring a Mysterious Aquatic Organism

While visiting my parents’ lakefront home, my young kids noticed hundreds of huge, slimy, green balls floating in the water.

“What are those?” they asked.

Instead of answering them, because frankly, I didn’t know the answer, I flipped it: “Great question. How could we find out?”

What We Did:
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1. Observed – Scooped up the green balls and examined them.
2. Made Guesses – Were they big masses of fish eggs? Plants? Were they alive, or were they a manmade substance?
3. Noticed Patterns – They were green, like plants. They were slimy and kind of oily. They were rock hard, not soft.
4. Did Some Research – Checked books on aquatic organisms in the area.
5. Talked to an Expert – Went to the local DNR office and talked to a limnologist.
6. Found the Answer – They were called bryozoans, teeny tiny aquatic animals that come together to form colonies. The hard, slimy, green balls were colonies of these creatures. We learned from research and asking around that they, as filter feeders, contribute to keeping the water clear and healthy.

Even as little kids, they were practicing real inquiry skills, asking questions, observing, researching, and drawing conclusions.

A Large-Scale Example: Exploring Algal Blooms in a High School Class

A high school class notices recurring algal blooms in a local lake and decides to investigate further. Instead of relying on textbooks, the class engages in a deeper inquiry process, collectively taking ownership of their learning:

Scientific Investigation: The class collects water samples from the lake at various times of the year to analyze nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, along with temperature, pH, and oxygen levels, to understand the overall health of the ecosystem.

Community Connections: The students reach out to environmental scientists, local conservationists, and university researchers to gain insights into the causes, impacts, and potential solutions for algal blooms.

Data Analysis: With their data and expert input, the class researches how fertilizer runoff contributes to water pollution and compares approaches from other communities to address similar environmental issues.

Policy Exploration: The students examine local water pollution laws and government regulations on water quality and fertilizer use, understanding the role of policy in addressing environmental challenges.

Action-Oriented Learning: The class develops a plan to reduce algal blooms, which may include educating the community, advocating for policy changes, or proposing new initiatives. They present their findings to local officials, offering recommendations based on their research.

This collaborative inquiry process encourages students to actively engage with the topic, move beyond surface-level information, and generate real-world solutions. It empowers them to take ownership of their learning while developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills essential for success beyond the classroom.

In other words, they take action on the question: How can you find out? 
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Instead of me simply telling them the answers and explaining why something is the way it is, they become invested in the process of discovering things for themselves. They engage with the concepts and skills needed to learn independently, which allows them to genuinely digest and retain the information rather than just hearing it from me.

​How to Bring Inquiry Into Your Classroom

Want more independent, engaged learners? Embed "How can you find out?" into your daily teaching. Here’s how:

1. Encourage Observations and Questions

• Use open-ended prompts: "What do you notice? What questions do you have?", and again, “How can you find out the answers to those questions?”.
• Model curiosity by asking your own questions aloud.

2. Offer Multiple Research Avenues

• Books, online databases, and academic journals.
• Interviews with experts.
• Hands-on experiments and fieldwork.

3. Facilitate, Don’t Dictate

• Instead of giving direct answers, guide students toward discovering them.
• Encourage trial and error. Let students refine their understanding as they learn more.

​4. Connect Inquiry to Real-World Issues

• Frame student investigations around authentic problems.
• Have students present their findings to an audience beyond the classroom.

The Long-Term Impact: 

​Inquiry-based learning isn’t just about answering a question, it’s about building skills for life. Whether learners are investigating environmental issues, historical events, or scientific phenomena, students who develop resourcefulness will be better prepared for whatever comes next.

By consistently scaffolding classroom inquiry-based learning by asking "How can you find out?" you’re helping students: 
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• Think critically
• Conduct independent research
• Collaborate with experts
• Solve real-world problems
• Take ownership of their learning

Ready to Try Classroom Inquiry-Based Learning?

Next time a student asks a question, resist the urge to answer it directly. Instead, ask “How can you find out?” Then, step back and watch curiosity lead them to incredible discoveries.

Simplify with Inquiry Resources

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