While deep conceptual understanding of content is a major goal of the Energy curriculum, this does not preclude the use of inquiry. In fact, inquiry is encouraged throughout the curriculum as a means of constructing understanding and extending application of new knowledge. In the Energy in the Human Body curriculum students will gain experience with the following aspects of scientific inquiry as process goals:

Science Process Skills:

• Predicting
• Inferring
• Classifying
• Observing and Measuring
• Formulating Hypotheses and Models (Interpreting data)

Rational Processes Emphasized in Discussion:

• Identifying Causes
• Generating Exemplars
• Addressing Alternative Hypotheses
• Identifying Key Issues

Managing the Investigation of Researching Information on a Topic:

These skills are practiced as student generate and compare explanations, modifying them in the light of new evidence so that they approach the scientist's model while using the same reasoning strategies used by scientists.