You are here

Why Are School Buses Always Yellow?
Share

Why Are School Buses Always Yellow?
Teaching for Inquiry, K-8

Second Edition


March 2016 | 288 pages | Corwin

Turn natural curiosity into deep, lasting learnings!

Inquiry is what drives us all toward new knowledge, but how do we transform children’s natural ability to notice and wonder into the full learning cycle of observing, thinking, and critically questioning? 

Through this new edition of the bestselling Why Are School Buses Always Yellow? you’ll find simple, yet systematic ways to develop authentic student inquiry that fosters deep learning. This new edition features:

  • Updates based on the latest research around inquiry-based teaching
  • Emphasis on turning inquiry into critical thinking, assessing students’ inquiry, and involving families in the inquiry process
  • Examples for K–8 across subject areas
  • New emphasis on critical thinking about technologies
  • New and updated activities, checklists, templates, and implementation tools
  • Alignment with Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards

With this invaluable resource, help students transform their playful wonderings into deeper questions about content—and develop the higher-level thinking skills they need for success in school and in life. 

"Educators often talk about developing lifelong learners - our team has had great success using Why Are School Buses Always Yellow? to catalyze professional conversations about how we can better cultivate curiosity through an inquiry approach.  I strongly recommend this [new edition] for those who are interested in unlocking the uniquely creative capacity of our youngest learners."
Devin Vodicka, Superintendent
Vista Unified School District, Vista, CA


 
Introduction
 
Chapter 1. “What’s Wondering Got to Do With It?”: An Overview of Inquiry
 
Chapter 2. “This Is Better Than Recess!”: Why Inquiry Is Important
 
Chapter 3. “How Do We Begin?”: Modeling Our Inquisitiveness
 
Chapter 4. “How Do We Build Inquiry Into Our Classrooms?”: Initiating Inquiry With Problematic Scenarios
 
Chapter 5. “When Is It Chaos?”: Developing and Refining Units of Instruction
 
Chapter 6. “Why Are Mountains Necessary?”: The Nature of Good Questions
 
Chapter 7. “How Do We Know They Understand?”: Performing Our Understandings
 
Chapter 8. “How Do We Integrate Technology?”: From Crystal Radios to “Explain Everything”
 
Chapter 9. “How Do We Involve Families in Our Inquiries?”: Encouraging All to Help
 
Chapter 10. “We Don’t Learn That Way”: Inquiry and Students With Special Needs
 
Chapter 11. “How Do We Effect Change in Our Classrooms?”: Positive Professional Development
 
Conclusion
 
Appendix: Templates
 
Glossary
 
References
 
Index

"Why are School Buses Always Yellow? ignited a fire in our school.  With only small tweaks to our units, our teachers saw huge differences.  The students were so excited and eager to learn.  We have continued to build on that success with a focus on inquiry and Barell’s words of wisdom are often quoted during planning sessions."

Kim Connor, Gifted/Talented Specialist
Parkside Elementary School, Leander, TX

"Educators often talk about developing lifelong learners - our team has had great success using Why Are School Buses Always Yellow? to catalyze professional conversations about how we can better cultivate curiosity through an inquiry approach.  I strongly recommend this book for those who are interested in unlocking the uniquely creative capacity of our youngest learners."

Devin Vodicka, Superintendent
Vista Unified School District, Vista, CA

"John discusses simple ways to develop authentic student inquiries using real life examples from teachers around the world illustrating the power of  the curious mind in all of us. The new chapter on evaluating sources in the digital age is particularly pertinent for our students. John inspires educators to ensure inquiry drives student learning in the classroom and beyond."

Allyn Raw, Deputy Director and Primary School Principal
Heidelberg International School, Heidelberg, Germany

"Questions give voice to wonderings and provide purpose to learn and broaden horizons. Superbly demonstrated within these covers is the understanding that inquiry is for all – no matter the interest or academic level. How is this possible and achievable? Open this book to discover ideas that can be easily adapted to any learning environment."

Kerry Faber, B.Ed, M.Ed
Ekota Elementary School, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Key features
  • Provides processes and prompts to empower children to frame good questions about content and search for answers
  • Incorporates evaluation of Internet sources and other information
  • Shows examples across K-8 levels in all subject areas
  • Highlights inquiry entry points using objects, literature, lived experiences, media accounts—any kind of object and situation students experience
  • Incorporates examples from schools across the country

New to the second edition:

  • Updated to reflect the newest research.
  • New stories and examples, broadened to grades K through 8.
  • Discussion and alignment of the inquiry process with Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.
  • New chapter on how to use technology to pursue inquiry and also build professional practice
  • Each chapters has new "Try this!" activities, new graphics, and updated checklists, templates, reflection questions with room for notetaking, a glossary of key terms, and other implementation tools

 

    • Updated to reflect the newest research.
    • New stories and examples, broadened to grades K through 8.
    • Discussion and alignment of the inquiry process with Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.
    • New chapter on how to use technology to pursue inquiry and also build professional practice
    • Each chapters has new "Try this!" activities, new graphics, and updated checklists, templates, reflection questions with room for notetaking, a glossary of key terms, and other implementation tools

For instructors

Select a Purchasing Option


Rent or Buy eBook
ISBN: 9781506340050

Paperback
ISBN: 9781506323657
$34.95

This title is also available on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences online library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.