Blog Post #2
Choosing a Main Inquiry Question and Sub-questions
After we knew what our topic was, we had to choose a main inquiry question and five sub-questions. Some aspects of this exercise were easy, while others were challenging.
One of the easier aspects of choosing my inquiry question and sub-questions was coming up with a list of ideas. We used a sheet of paper and post-its in several colors to write down ideas for the main inquiry question. Each question had to go in one of five categories (for example, math, science or geography). Most kids used this format while some used Google docs. I found the post-it format helpful, and came up with the question, “How do bioplastics and petroleum plastics (regular plastics) compare?”, as my inquiry question. However, refining my inquiry question was not that easy because there was a lot of information related to this subject. Mrs. Edwards helped me refine my inquiry question and based on her feedback, I changed my inquiry question to, “How do bioplastics and biodegradable plastics compare?
After I chose my main inquiry question, I started to think about how to dig deeper into the topic with sub-questions on the differences between bioplastics and biodegradable plastics. As I read more and watched videos online on the topic, I wanted to highlight the differences between bioplastics and biodegradable plastics. I also thought about comparing the pros and cons of each, and how their technology and uses would advance over time. Now I need to do more research on those questions.
I am really excited for the next step in the process, which is doing my interview and site visit.
Here are my sub-questions:
What is bioplastic?
What is biodegradable plastic?
What are the pros of both plastics?
What are the cons of both plastics?
How would both plastics further advance?