Elementary Inquiry Work

Inquiry work at Ventana is rooted in collaborative inquiry, supporting students' innate curiosity and sense of wonder. Inquiries are deep dives into ideas or topics that ignite curiosity in students. Teachers guide this practice by crafting learning experiences that enable students to think critically and consider multiple perspectives or theories. Through careful analysis of student work and discussion, teachers determine new provocations that will deepen students’ thinking. At the same time, teachers have a thorough understanding of the skills and concepts that are developmentally appropriate for their students and ensure that learning experiences enable the purposeful application of academic and social skills. 

During Inquiry Work, elementary students work collaboratively to explore a concept or question, developing the mindsets of both physical and social scientists. They employ various lenses (historical, socio-economic, geographical, identity, civic, and scientific) as they explore ideas from multiple perspectives. Within each lens, there are discrete skills that are built upon based on the developmental level of the students. Connecting to the concept of the 100 languages of children, students learn to articulate their learning in varied ways and engage the greater community in their understanding. As students move through the grades, their ability to understand and grapple with subjects deepens, enabling them to gain a more nuanced understanding of the world outside of their personal experiences.

In line with our school values, we focus on the process of inquiry rather than a tangible product. Therefore, it is not always the case that Inquiry Work exploration will result in a finished “product” in the traditional sense. We honor process over product, and our learning is made visible through both teacher documentation and student work.