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Inquiry can be defined as “a research approach to learning” (Kulthau, 2010). In this approach, students use their curiosity to ask questions, wonder about the world, and explore topics of their interest. Students consider questions or problems that would encourage deep investigation and research their topics to find answers. Throughout the process, students build on their understanding and develop new skills.

Within the classroom, there are several pedagogical frameworks that use inquiry, such as inquiry circles, guided inquiry, and inquiry-based learning (Heinemann, 2009; Kulthau, 2010). Inquiry circles are one such framework where students work in small groups in order to answer a question or meet a curricular goal. The purpose of this approach is that it is student-led, where the students drive the questions and the overall learning pathway (Learning By Inquiry, n.d.). In inquiry circles, students are in flexible groupings or task-force teams that take on questions to explore in great detail, and go beyond fact-finding to synthesize ideas and build knowledge (Hobbs, 2018). In addition, inquiry circles can be used as part of a comprehensive literacy program to build literacy skills or inquiry as a literature circle (Hedlund & Panzarella, 2022).

The information and links on this page are meant as a resource for teachers to create an understanding of inquiry circles and develop instructional strategies for cross-curricular applications and literacy within the classroom.

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Why Use Inquiry Circles in Your Classroom?

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Why Use Inquiry Circles in Your Classroom?

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Studies demonstrate that inquiry circles have many benefits, including:

Higher-level thinking skills, such as critical thinking (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006).

Greater collaboration, participation, and social skills (Sluiter, 2017).

Increased engagement, connections between ideas, and greater curiosity (Learning By Inquiry, n.d.).

The development of 21st century competencies (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2016).

Tackling and acting on difficult topics (Lifshitz, 2017).

Greater literacy and information literacy, a development from “learning to read to reading to learn” (Kulthau, 2010).

For literacy, inquiry is recommended as a way to create strong student interest and engagement readers (Sluiter, 2017), develop oral language (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2003), and build critical literacy skills (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006). This makes inquiry circles an essential tool for any reading or literacy program, and a key opportunity for cross-curricular connections.

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Inquiry four-step process proposed by Heinemann (2009). 

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Heinemann (2009) proposes a framework for the inquiry process. This process breaks down inquiry into four phases:

1. Immerse

In this phase, students are invited to wonder and begin to ask questions. The teacher invites student curiosity, models how to create questions, and helps small-groups form. By the end of this stage, students will understand how to build questions and guide their own inquiry.

2. Investigate

In the second phase, students develop their questions and start to research answers. The teacher guides the investigation process by explicitly teaching students how to find information and answers to questions.

3. Coalesce

During this phase, students build their knowledge, synthesize, and summarize the findings from their research. The teacher scaffolds the evaluation of sources and how to collect, synthesize, and summarize the findings from research. At the end of this phase, students will have understood their topic and answered their questions.

4. Go Public

In this final phase, students will demonstrate their understanding and share their learning. Students could create some kind of product or presentation of their findings. The teacher will help facilitate presentations and sharing of their work. This can also be an opportunity for students to share their findings with the wider community or take action!

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Types of inquiry circles (Hedlund & Panzarella, 2022).

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Many different types of inquiry circles can be used in your classroom such as mini inquiries, curricular inquiries, literature circles, and open inquiries (Hedlund & Panzarella, 2022). Mini-inquiries are small investigations that could be completed within a small portion of time, such as a few minutes or a single class time block. Curricular inquiries meet specific curricular goals, and is usually a set of curriculum expectations, or uses a backwards-matching approach (Heinemann, 2009). Literature circles build off of readings as a starting point for inquiry, and use questions that arise from the readings for exploration. Finally, open inquiries are a completely student-driven form of inquiry where the student chooses the topic and investigates their own questions. Each of these types of inquiry circles can be used at different points in the learning process, and can be matched to student interest levels and learning goals.

Some ways to include inquiry circles could be:

Using a “Wonder Wall” for students to post questions as they develop them.

As a genius hour (McNair, 2017).

For integration or cross-curricular courses

As summative assessment for different units.

For culminating and summative tasks.

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Curriculum connections for inquiry begin in the Kindergarten program and extend all the way to secondary school. In Kindergarten, inquiry is linked by the specific expectation 1.2, “play-based learning in a culture of inquiry” (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2016). As students progress in elementary school, inquiry is linked within strand C and strand D of the language curriculum, as ways for students to develop critical thinking skills and express themselves through writing (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2023). A Guide to Effective Instruction in Reading, K-3 (2003) suggests that literacy can be used to develop oral language (3.5), and to develop and extend student’s’ understanding of different texts (3.20). As well, at the grade four to six level, inquiry is encouraged as a way to develop understanding and to develop critical literacy skills (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2006, p.64). Inquiry can therefore be used at any grade or level of the learning process to support students' literacy and build knowledge.

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To assess student learning through inquiry circles, there are several methods and points for assessment that can be used. In her article on literature and inquiry circles, Sluiter (2017) shares that she conducts assessment at two points during the inquiry process: throughout the immerse, investigate, and coalesce phases with student conferences and check-in meetings, and at the end with the final product or presentation. She also recommends the co-creation of timelines, deadlines, and products to help students develop the vision of what they would like to create. Similarly, Kulthau (2010) suggests that observation records, student performance, conferences, portfolios, products, or rubrics could be used to assess students’ understanding. These suggestions are in line with instructional strategies recommended by Heinemann, which suggests that teachers should help scaffold each point in the inquiry and model the process for students (Heinemann, 2015). Using multiple forms of assessment and ongoing assessment will help students synthesize their learning and make connections beyond their individual topic.

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Heinemann (2015) provides some suggestions of what teachers should do to support students throughout inquiry. The teacher should:

Model the inquiry process

Encourage questions and curiosity

Share real-world examples and problems

Connect curriculum to group inquiry

Scaffold and supports students to locate, evaluate, organize, and use resources

Meet with and guide students about the inquiry process.

Support taking action outside the classroom

Model social skills and provides tools for collaboration

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Harvey, S., & Daniels, H. (2009). Comprehension & Collaboration. Heinemann.

Hedlund, L., & Panzarella, M. (2022, August 30). Types of Inquiry Groups. Inquiry Circles. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://inquirycircles.weebly.com/types-of-inquiry-groups.html

Heinemann. (2015, June 30). Why Now Is The Time For Inquiry. Heinemann Blog. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://blog.heinemann.com/why-is-the-time-for-inquiry

Heinemann. (2015, July 7). How Steph and Smokey Help You Make Inquiry Work. Heinemann Blog. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://blog.heinemann.com/helpyoumakeinquirywork

Hobbs, T. (2018). Inquiry Based Literacy Circles. Golden Secondary School. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from https://bctela.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Inquiry-Based-Literature-Circles-Tanya-Hobbs.pdf

Kulthau, C. C. (2010). Guided Inquiry: School Libraries in the 21st Century. School Libraries Worldwide, 16(1), 1-12. https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/slw/index.php/slw/article/view/6797/3795

Learning By Inquiry. (n.d.). What the Heck is the Difference Between IBL and PBL? Learning by Inquiry. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://www.learningbyinquiry.com/what-the-heck-is-the-difference-between-ibl-and-pbl/

Lifshitz, J. (2017). Tackling Tough Issues Through Inquiry Circles. Heinemann. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://www.heinemann.com/pd/journal/2017/lifshitz_power_of_inquiry.pdf

McNair, A. (2017). Genius Hour: Passion Projects that Ignite Innovation and Student Inquiry. Prufrock Press Incorporated.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2003). A Guide to Effective Instruction in Reading, Kindergarten to Grade 3. Queen's Printer for Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6. Queen's Printer for Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2016). The Kindergarten Program. Government of Ontario. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/curriculum/kindergarten/downloads

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2016). 21st Century Competencies. Queen's Printer for Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2023, June). Language (2023). Government of Ontario. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/curriculum/elementary-language

Sluiter, K. (2017, February 6). From Literature Circles to Inquiry Circles. The Educators Room. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from https://theeducatorsroom.com/lit-circles-inquiry-circles/

UBC. (2023, January 6). Collection Spotlight: Inquiry-Based Teaching & Learning | Education Library. UBC Education Library. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from https://education.library.ubc.ca/blog/collection-spotlight-inquiry-based-learning/

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Please see below for a short list of books for teachers that are related to inquiry and using inquiry circles in the classroom:

McNair, A. (2017). Genius Hour: Passion Projects that Ignite Innovation and Student Inquiry. Prufrock Press Incorporated.

MacKenzie, T., & Bathurst-Hunt, R. (2018). Inquiry Mindset: Nurturing the Dreams, Wonders, and Curiosities of Our Youngest Learners. Edtechteam Press.

Marschall, C., & French, R. (2018). Concept-Based Inquiry in Action: Strategies to Promote Transferable Understanding. SAGE Publications.

Mitchell, K. L. (2018). Experience Inquiry: 5 Powerful Strategies, 50 Practical Experiences. SAGE Publications.

Reimer, J., & Watters, D. (2017). Kindergarten: Inquiry-Based Learning in the Kindergarten Classroom. Wave Learning Solutions Incorporated.

Stacey, S. (2019). Inquiry-based Early Learning Environments: Creating, Supporting, and Collaborating. Redleaf Press.

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Click on the link above to see a selection of picture books about inquiry you can share with your students.