Research tells us that an inquiry approach to science teaching motivates and engages every type of student, helping them understand science's relevance to their lives, as well as the nature of science itself. Teaching Science as Inquiry demonstrates a manageable way for new and experienced teachers to bring inquiry successfully into the science classroom through a 2-part structure: Methods for Teaching Science as Inquiry and Activities for Teaching Science as Inquiry. The Methods portion scaffolds concepts and illustrates instructional models to help readers understand the inquiry approach to teaching. The Activities portion follows the 5-E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), a Learning Cycle model introduced in the methods chapters that reflects the NSES Science as Inquiry Standards.

With a new theme of "accountable inquiry," this leading methods text has a renewed focus on assessment (focusing on backwards planning, aligning objectives with assessments, and how to develop understanding of concepts that appear on standardized tests throughout the process of inquiry).