As a result, they are full of questions. They have just discovered that there is a huge world out there and they want very much to know how it works. Inquiry-based methods are all about asking questions, so students are encouraged to ask the questions that will help them find out how the world works. Asking good questions, questions that both can be answered and will produce meaningful answers, takes practice. An inquiry-based science class gives students this practice, and allows them to experience the rewards that come from finding the answers to good, challenging questions.
Instruction minimizes or eliminates lecture and textbook methods.
These traditional methods of instruction view students as empty vessels into which the teacher can pour information that the students will immediately understand, remember, and be able to apply to novel situations. We now know that this passive model of student learning simply does not work for the vast majority of students. Early adolescents are full of energy, both physically and intellectually, and they are eager to apply that energy to understanding the world around them. When students are provided with appropriate experiences, they can use these skills and habits of mind to construct their own knowledge bases. Instructional methods take into consideration the different developmental stages of students.