WHAT IS IBL?
The "inquiry" (or enquiry) in IBL specifically means a "seeking" of knowledge. In IBL instead of knowledge being supplied by a teacher or a curriculum, knowledge is actively sought out by the students.

Inquiry-Based Learning Examples Students Will Love
Global pollution issues
Students review the information then create a unique approach to managing or eliminating a certain type of pollution. 
This activity is great because it can be adapted to meet the needs of many different grades and can even be used in a college setting.
After reviewing the general pollution information you provide, have your students research the different types of pollution (air, water, soil, etc.). 
Have your students select one of these types and create a new and plausible approach to improve or eliminate them. 
For example, students should avoid suggestions such as the complete cessation of plastic production because it is not truly attainable at this time.
Instead, encourage them to find ways to deal appropriately with the plastic waste we do have.

Pro Tip

You can add another level to this activity by also having your students explore the costs associated with their ideas.
They will need to find a balance of effectiveness and affordability to create a plausible pollution solution.  
The Boat Float
  • The difficulty of this activity can be modified depending on the grade level.
  • Provide students with basic information regarding the physics of floatation and buoyancy.
  • Have them explore how boats the size of luxury cruise liners and container ships can stay afloat even with the extra weight.
  • Then have students use their knowledge to create a boat that can remain afloat in a plastic tub of water.
  • They should experiment with different types of materials and designs while following the scientific concepts they’ve learned. 
  • Once students have found a way to keep their boat afloat, have them add items such as paperclips or thumbtacks to see if the weight causes their boat to sink.
  • They can also simulate storms and ocean waves by causing disruptions to the water in the tank. Do their ships still stay afloat?
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  • ​Have them observe how the boats that successfully remain afloat also follow the requirements for buoyancy and how this allows shipbuilders to create boats of all sizes that will stay afloat in many different conditions.
Decomposition Demonstrations
  • Most students understand that when you leave food out on the counter for a few days, it will begin to get brown, slimy, and yucky.
  • However, most students don’t know what really causes this to happen.
  • This inquiry-based learning activity will give students an opportunity to explore how the decomposition of organic matter is affected by factors such as temperature, humidity, storage, time, and type of food.
 
  • For this activity, teach your students the science behind decomposition and how organic matter gets broken down into simpler chemicals and molecules. 
  • Then discuss the factors listed above and how they can affect the rate of decomposition.
  • To allow students to explore this for themselves, provide them with a variety of fruits and vegetables (they tend to be less stinky than protein- or dairy-based foods).
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  • Have students experiment with leaving fruit whole, cutting it into pieces, taking the skin off of it, and leaving it in a variety of different conditions.
  • These conditions can include open containers, sitting on the countertop, sealed containers, on the countertop with foil over it, etc.
  • Have students record their observations along with a theory regarding which factors most affect the rate of decomposition and why.
Decomposition Demonstrations