Curiosity Activity

In May 2025 I worked with each of four 10th grade classes for four days. In an effort to spark their curiosity leading into their 11th grade Biology classes, I asked them to ask big questions and try to find the answers while reflecting on the effectiveness of different strategies and finding balance in school. The protocol involved the following steps:

Day 1

Nature Walk and brainstorm: A walk in nature and a simulated natural selection game while brainstorming questions they have.
Asking Questions about literally anything with the only requirement being that they want to know the answer.
1. Individually wrote questions, then shared...
2. With table. Each table selected their top questions to...
3. Share with class. Each class then took a
4. Voted for their top questions to focus on for the group activity. The questions were:

1. 1. 1. 1. Do we live in a simulation
        How do limbs regenerate?
        Do predators feel empathy for their pray?
        Where do our personalities come from

Brainstorm research techniques: On day two, I asked students to share their typical first step when trying to answer such questions (i.e. Google, Youtube, discuss with friends, ask the teacher, ask AI, etc.).
Begin researching question using technique of choice.
Rate their learning on a scale of 1-10

Interestingly, a majority of students (~60%) used google first, and these student rated their learning at 7 out of 10.

Day 2

Day 3

Think/Pair/Share: reflect and ask follow up question: Students were asked to write down one thing they learned and one follow up question. (interestingly, many of those who used google could not remember what they learned the next day)!
ChatGPT demonstration: I gave the students a quick demonstration on how to converse with ChatGPT and ask follow-up questions.
Continue researching: Students were given the option to continue researching the class question or choose their own question to research for the remaining period and a half
Share notes on learning at the end of class.

Day 4

I asked them to answer True or False: I want to continue researching my question. (Only 29% answered TRUE)
If TRUE, continue researching question.
Exit Questions:
1. How did you find this activity of asking questions and researching?
2. What made it challenging?
3. What role should technology and AI play in Education? Does technology help or harm education?
4. Why did I ask you to put a sticky note on your laptop? What do you think of this policy? Suggestions?
5. Do you wish you had more choice in education? What kinds of choices?
6. What factors make you curious / open to learning & what factors make you not want to learn (i.e. more/less structure and choice, grades, test, projects, other work, personal factors).
7. If you could design an ideal school for you, what would it look like?
8. If you were in a position of power, how would you change HTH?

Observations:

A majority of students (~60%) used google as their first resource, and these student rated their learning at 7 out of 10. However, many of those who used google could not remember what they learned the next day.
AI removes "the wobble". "AI made it too easy" and students got bored.

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