How to Get Into Inquiry-Based Learning (Part 1: First Steps to Inquiry)

This first video in the Ontario Science Centre’s series on inquiry-based learning follows Andrea, a Grade 2 teacher with no science background, as she prepares to teach her students about simple machines. It offers a practical look at how inquiry-based learning can be approachable and effective—even for teachers who feel inexperienced or limited by time and resources. Andrea models how to align with curriculum goals, use trusted sources, tap into professional networks, and adapt low-cost, hands-on activities that are safe, manageable, and engaging. Teachers interested in making their classrooms more student-centered and curiosity-driven will find this video a helpful starting point, especially as it emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and confidence-building.

Here are the other parts of this video series:

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4