Chapter 20

Understanding the Inquiry Process

Natural curiosity drives learning. We want to know why things happen as well as how, when, and where. You’ve probably heard of the famous scientist Isaac Newton, who saw an apple fall from a tree and asked why. Well, there are other questions to ask about apples: Why is this one sour and that one sweet? Why is this one green and that one red? And how did this worm get here?

The inquiry process is all about asking questions and following a series of steps to find the answers. Inquiry can help you manage everything from school projects to household chores. This chapter shows you how this process works.