Inquiry Builders

Inquiry Builders header

Develop skills in reasoning, dialogue and writing

Our inquiry builders are easy-to-use activities and ideas for developing essential skills. They can be used as starters, dialogue breakout activities and follow-ups. Used in their own right, they are capable of stimulating dialogue that is rich in concepts. The regular use of inquiry builders contributes to learners' progress in reasoning, dialogue and writing over time.

The inquiry builder resources on this page are organised in a simple table. If you use the sub-menus in the left column, you will be able to filter the list according to the resource category. Sort any table in this section using the column headings.

TitleCategoryAuthorCreatedsort icon
Writing poems to explore 'unfairness'
A little activity to explore the concept of unfairness through having children write and discuss their own verses of poetry. Contains audio files.
Thinking and WritingSteve Williams09/11/2009 - 12:50
Poems of delights and other things
An activity to develop conceptual exploration through short poems. Short audio file of children reading poems included.
Thinking and WritingSteve Williams10/10/2009 - 19:38
Ideas for writing
Ideas to get children writing. The writing easily into inquiry.
Thinking and WritingSteve Williams26/09/2009 - 20:22
Writing and thinking booklet for pupils
A booklet to encourage children to care for their thoughts through writing.
Thinking and WritingSteve Williams26/09/2009 - 20:07
Thinking and Writing (Part 4)
How freewriting and p4c can work together
Thinking and WritingSteve Williams11/01/2009 - 15:55
Thinking and writing (part 3)
An introduction to i-writing -- writing for ideas
Thinking and WritingSteve Williams21/11/2008 - 18:25
Thinking and writing (part 2)
An introduction to writing for ideas and writing for ideas plus expression
Thinking and WritingSteve Williams09/11/2008 - 22:25
Thinking and writing (part 1)
Steve Williams introduces some general strategies to guide writing for thinking and thinking for writing
Thinking and WritingSteve Williams09/11/2008 - 22:19
Would you prefer ...?
Another activity for the nursery questions board involving children in giving reasons for their preferences
Reasoning ConceptsSara Stanley15/10/2008 - 14:01
LogicWorks D
This lesson introduces the practice of defining and the concept 'all'.
LogicWorksRoger Sutcliffe09/10/2008 - 12:29
LogicWorks C
Lesson C continues to explore the concepts of cause and effect and introduces the problems of 'rash reversing'
LogicWorksRoger Sutcliffe09/10/2008 - 12:07
LogicWorks B
Lesson B develops 'If ... then' thinking and highlights the concepts of cause and effect.
LogicWorksRoger Sutcliffe09/10/2008 - 11:37
LogicWorks A
The first 'lesson' in the LogicWorks programme for pupils aged 9 and above
LogicWorksRoger Sutcliffe09/10/2008 - 11:20
A nursery question board
Introducing the philosophical skill of making a choice and giving a reason with children in nursery.
Reasoning ConceptsSara Stanley08/10/2008 - 19:13
Mysteries
A 'mystery' is an activity to develop exploratory thinking, often about causes or consequences.
Inquiry BuildersSteve Williams06/09/2008 - 22:41
Questions about the question
A graphic organiser to help explore dimensions of a question
Reasoning ConceptsWill Ord14/08/2008 - 20:46
Questions to consider about a question
Ideas for developing children's powers of questioning
Reasoning ConceptsWill Ord14/08/2008 - 20:12
Introducing Argument
Tips for developing criteria for good arguing and good arguments
Reasoning ConceptsWill Ord14/08/2008 - 20:02
Eight tips to develop questioning
Reasoning ConceptsWill Ord14/08/2008 - 19:53
Strong and weak reasons
An activity and resource using a 'diamond nine'
Reasoning ConceptsWill Ord13/08/2008 - 23:37
Little concepts for big thinking
On the importance of concepts for reasoning and connection-making
Reasoning ConceptsSteve Williams02/07/2008 - 17:07
A short course in logic
LogicWorks. A short course in logic for teachers and pupils to help with progression in thinking, writing and dialogue.
Reasoning ConceptsRoger Sutcliffe23/06/2008 - 14:27
Claims and reasons
An activity to encourage the giving of reasons to support claims
Reasoning ConceptsSteve Williams11/04/2008 - 16:14