"Inquiry" is defined as "a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge -- seeking information by questioning." (from http://www.thirteen.org).
Inquiry-based learning "implies involvement that leads to understanding. Furthermore, involvement in learning implies possessing skills and attitudes that permit you to seek resolutions to questions and issues while you construct new knowledge" (www.thirteen.org).
Rather than telling students the facts about our world, it is much more memorable if the students engage in demonstrations of these facts first-hand. The human brain is naturally curious, especially at a young age. Harnessing this curiosity through a process of questioning, exploration, analysis, and reflection (inquiry) passes on an ability for students to maintain their curiosities and follow them through towards a higher understanding of life's concepts.
The process of inquiry is a natural course of events when tying to make sense of the patterns that are demonstrated in life. For example, a child who runs on loose gravel will eventually fall and skin his or her knee. After this happens a number of times, a curiosity will develop about why the student is skinning their knee. Reflecting on other times this has happened is similar to an exploration of the pattern. As the student analyzes the evidence that running on loose grave leads to the result of a skinned knee, the pattern is recognized. After this pattern is recognized and avoided, the student's understanding of the harsh reality has been reached and he or she will try to avoid running on loose gravel in the future.
