Understanding Concept-Based Inquiry
1.1 What Is Concept-Based Inquiry?
Imagine walking into a 4th-grade classroom studying the American Revolution. In one version of this class, students memorize dates, names, and events: 1776, Declaration of Independence, George Washington, Lexington and Concord. They can recite facts for the test, but ask them what the Revolution has to do with anything happening today, and you'll likely get blank stares.
Now imagine a different 4th-grade classroom. Students are investigating the question: "When is it justified to challenge authority?" They're examining the American Revolution, yes—but through the lens of the concept of revolution and exploring the relationship between power, justice, and change. These students are comparing the colonists' grievances to other movements they know about. They're debating whether the colonists' actions were justified and under what circumstances people today might face similar decisions.
Same historical content. Profoundly different learning.
The second classroom is practicing Concept-Based Inquiry (CBI)—an approach to teaching and learning that uses concepts as lenses to uncover transferable understandings, with inquiry as the vehicle for construction of meaning.
Concept-Based Inquiry combines two powerful educational traditions:
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Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction (CBCI): Developed by curriculum theorists like Lynn Erickson and Lois Lanning, this approach organizes learning around concepts and generalizations rather than just topics and facts.
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Inquiry-Based Learning: Rooted in the work of John Dewey and developed by educators like Kath Murdoch, inquiry positions students as active investigators who construct understanding through questioning, exploration, and reflection.
When we combine these traditions, something powerful emerges. Concepts provide the destination—the transferable understandings we want students to develop. Inquiry provides the journey—the process through which students arrive at those understandings through their own thinking.
The Definition
Concept-Based Inquiry is an approach to teaching and learning that:
- Uses concepts (abstract, timeless ideas) as organizing lenses for content
- Guides students toward generalizations (transferable statements of understanding)
- Employs inquiry processes that position students as active constructors of meaning
- Integrates factual knowledge with conceptual understanding and skill development
- Emphasizes transfer—the ability to apply learning to new contexts
What CBI Is NOT
To understand CBI clearly, it helps to contrast it with what it isn't:
| CBI Is NOT... | CBI IS... |
|---|---|
| Activity-based learning without conceptual focus | Inquiry driven by conceptual questions toward transferable understanding |
| Content-free "exploration" | Deep engagement with content through a conceptual lens |
| Teaching concepts in isolation | Using concepts to reveal connections within and across content |
| Memorizing definitions of concepts | Developing understanding OF and THROUGH concepts |
| A scripted program | A way of thinking about curriculum and instruction |
| One more thing to add | A different way to approach what you already teach |
1.2 Why CBI Matters: The Cognitive Science
Concept-Based Inquiry isn't just pedagogically appealing—it's grounded in how human learning actually works. Understanding the cognitive science behind CBI helps us implement it more effectively.
Schema Theory: How Knowledge Is Organized
Cognitive scientists describe human knowledge as organized in schemas—mental structures that connect related information. When we learn something new, we don't store it in isolation; we integrate it into existing schemas.
Key insight for teachers: Information that connects to existing schemas is remembered better, understood more deeply, and retrieved more easily. When we teach through concepts, we're helping students build robust schemas that organize information meaningfully.
Example: A student who understands the concept of interdependence has a schema that can accommodate knowledge from ecosystems (organisms depend on each other), economics (trade creates mutual dependence), literature (characters' fates intertwine), and social relationships. Each new example strengthens and enriches the schema.
Transfer: The Ultimate Goal
Educational researchers distinguish between near transfer (applying learning to similar situations) and far transfer (applying learning to genuinely novel contexts). Far transfer is notoriously difficult to achieve—but it's what makes education truly valuable.
David Perkins and Gavriel Salomon's research shows that transfer is more likely when:
- Learning is organized around abstract principles (concepts and generalizations)
- Students explicitly practice applying ideas to varied contexts
- Teachers highlight underlying structures rather than surface features
CBI is designed specifically to promote transfer. By teaching through concepts and toward generalizations, we're giving students mental tools they can carry across contexts.
Levels of Processing: Deep vs. Surface Learning
Craik and Lockhart's "levels of processing" framework shows that information processed deeply (semantically, meaningfully) is retained better than information processed superficially.
When students engage with content conceptually:
- They process it more deeply (connecting to existing knowledge)
- They engage in elaboration (generating examples and connections)
- They practice retrieval in varied contexts (strengthening memory pathways)
Practical implication: A student who memorizes that "the Boston Tea Party occurred in 1773" has processed this information superficially. A student who understands the Boston Tea Party as an example of how perceived injustice can motivate collective action has processed the same information deeply—and will remember it longer and understand it better.
Motivation and Engagement
Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan) identifies autonomy, competence, and relatedness as fundamental human needs that drive motivation. CBI naturally addresses all three:
- Autonomy: Inquiry gives students choices and ownership over their learning
- Competence: Conceptual understanding builds genuine mastery (not just test performance)
- Relatedness: Collaborative inquiry creates community; connections to real-world concepts show relevance
The Research Bottom Line
Research on concept-based approaches shows:
- Deeper retention of content knowledge
- Greater ability to transfer learning
- Increased student engagement and motivation
- Development of higher-order thinking skills
- Better preparation for novel problems
CBI isn't just a nice idea—it's an approach aligned with how humans actually learn best.
1.3 From Content Coverage to Conceptual Understanding
One of the biggest shifts in moving to CBI is reconceiving what it means to "teach" something. Many teachers have been trained (implicitly or explicitly) in a coverage model—the idea that their job is to cover a body of content, ensuring students are exposed to required material.
The coverage model has intuitive appeal but significant limitations:
- Students forget most of what they were "covered" within weeks
- Surface-level exposure doesn't produce understanding
- Coverage often crowds out depth
- Students see content as disconnected information to memorize
CBI operates on a different assumption: Our job isn't to cover content; it's to uncover understanding through content.
The Three Dimensions of Learning
In CBI, we think about learning in three interconnected dimensions:
CONCEPTUAL
(Understanding)
▲
/|\
/ | \
/ | \
/ | \
/ | \
/ | \
/ | \
▼───────────────▼
FACTUAL SKILLS
(Knowing) (Doing)
1. Factual Knowledge (Knowing)
- Specific information, data, vocabulary, and details
- The "what" of a discipline
- Necessary but not sufficient for understanding
- Examples: Dates, definitions, formulas, names, events
2. Skills and Processes (Doing)
- Procedures, strategies, and techniques
- The "how" of a discipline
- Transferable when connected to concepts
- Examples: Analyzing, calculating, writing, experimenting
3. Conceptual Understanding (Understanding)
- Abstract ideas that transcend specific examples
- The "why" and "so what" of a discipline
- Enables transfer across contexts
- Examples: Change, system, pattern, perspective, justice
The CBI insight: All three dimensions are important, but conceptual understanding is the integrating force. Facts without conceptual understanding are inert information. Skills without conceptual understanding are mechanical procedures. When facts and skills are organized around concepts, they become tools for thinking.
The Synergy of Three-Dimensional Learning
Consider teaching about the water cycle:
| Dimension | Traditional Approach | CBI Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Memorize: evaporation, condensation, precipitation | Learn facts as evidence for understanding cycles and systems |
| Skills | Label a diagram correctly | Use observation and modeling to investigate cyclical processes |
| Conceptual | (Often missing or superficial) | Understand: "Systems involve interconnected processes where changes in one component affect others" |
In the CBI approach, students might investigate multiple cycles (water, carbon, rock, seasonal) and discover the generalizations that apply across them. The facts and skills serve the conceptual understanding—and the conceptual understanding makes the facts and skills meaningful and memorable.
1.4 The Structure of Knowledge (Lynn Erickson)
Lynn Erickson's Structure of Knowledge provides a framework for understanding how factual and conceptual learning relate. This model is foundational to CBCI and informs how we design CBI experiences.
The Structure of Knowledge Diagram
THEORY
▲
|
PRINCIPLE /
GENERALIZATION
▲
|
CONCEPTS
▲ ▲
/ \
/ \
TOPICS TOPICS
/ | \ / | \
Facts Facts Facts Facts Facts
From Bottom to Top:
Facts: Specific pieces of information locked in time, place, or situation
- Example: "The American Revolution began in 1775"
- Time-bound, non-transferable
Topics: Organizational categories that group related facts
- Example: "The American Revolution"
- Still non-transferable (you either know about this topic or you don't)
Concepts: Abstract, timeless ideas that transcend specific examples
- Examples: Revolution, power, independence, governance
- Transferable across time, place, and situation
Generalizations (Principles): Statements of conceptual relationship that express transferable understanding
- Example: "Revolutions occur when people perceive that existing power structures no longer serve their interests"
- Transferable truth that can be tested against many examples
Theory: Larger explanatory frameworks that organize multiple principles
- Usually beyond the scope of K-12 instruction
- The realm of disciplinary experts
The Key Insight
The lower levels (facts and topics) are time-bound and non-transferable. The upper levels (concepts and generalizations) are timeless and transferable.
Traditional teaching often stops at the topic level. Teachers teach about the American Revolution, the water cycle, or To Kill a Mockingbird without explicitly lifting student thinking to the conceptual level.
CBI intentionally moves students up and down the structure:
- DOWN: Using concepts to illuminate specific content
- UP: Using specific content to build conceptual understanding
This bidirectional movement is the engine of deep learning.
Two Types of Concepts
Erickson distinguishes between:
Macro-concepts: Broad, abstract concepts that apply across disciplines
- Examples: Change, system, pattern, relationship, perspective
- Useful for interdisciplinary connections
Micro-concepts: More specific concepts within disciplines
- Examples: Photosynthesis, democracy, metaphor, equation
- Essential for disciplinary depth
Both types are important. Macro-concepts provide bridges across subjects; micro-concepts provide depth within subjects.
1.5 The Structure of Process (Lois Lanning)
While Erickson's Structure of Knowledge addresses conceptual understanding in content areas, Lois Lanning developed the Structure of Process to address skill-based disciplines where processes are central (like language arts, arts, and aspects of STEM).
The Structure of Process Diagram
THEORY
▲
|
PRINCIPLE /
GENERALIZATION
▲
|
CONCEPTS
▲
|
PROCESSES / STRATEGIES
▲ ▲
/ \
SKILLS SKILLS
From Bottom to Top:
Skills: Specific, discrete abilities
- Example: "Using a period at the end of a sentence"
- Can be performed but don't guarantee understanding
Processes/Strategies: Coordinated series of skills in service of larger purposes
- Example: "Revising for clarity"
- More complex than individual skills
Concepts: Abstract ideas that explain why processes matter
- Examples: Audience, purpose, craft, voice
- Provide the "why" behind the "how"
Generalizations: Statements expressing transferable understanding about processes
- Example: "Effective writers adjust their voice to match their purpose and audience"
- Applies across all writing contexts
Why Both Structures Matter
Many teachers need both frameworks:
- Science teachers need the Structure of Knowledge for content and the Structure of Process for scientific practices
- Language arts teachers primarily need the Structure of Process but also the Structure of Knowledge for literature study
- Math teachers need both—the Structure of Knowledge for mathematical concepts and the Structure of Process for mathematical practices
The integration: Whether we're dealing with content knowledge or processes, the principle is the same—move from the specific and concrete to the abstract and transferable, then back again to apply understanding to new specifics.
1.6 Your CBI Starting Point
Before moving forward, it's worth reflecting on where you're starting from. Teachers come to CBI from different places, and there's no single "right" entry point.
The CBI Readiness Spectrum
Where do you currently fall?
Level 1: Content-Focused
- Teaching is primarily about covering required content
- Success = students can recall information
- Inquiry means students asking occasional questions
Level 2: Concept-Aware
- You recognize concepts in your content
- You sometimes point out "big ideas"
- Inquiry is occasional and often teacher-directed
Level 3: Concept-Explicit
- You deliberately teach through concepts
- You help students articulate conceptual understandings
- Inquiry is regular but may not be systematically conceptual
Level 4: CBI-Integrated
- Concepts and generalizations drive your planning
- Inquiry is the primary mode of learning
- Students regularly construct and transfer understanding
Level 5: CBI-Master
- Your entire curriculum is conceptually organized
- Students are skilled inquirers who drive their own learning
- You mentor other teachers in CBI
Most teachers beginning this book are likely at levels 1-3. That's perfectly fine. CBI is a journey, not a destination, and every step toward more conceptual, inquiry-based teaching benefits your students.
Quick Self-Assessment
Answer honestly:
- Can I name 3-5 concepts that underlie my next unit? ______
- Can I state a generalization I want students to understand? ______
- Do students in my class regularly construct their own understanding through inquiry? ______
- Do my assessments measure conceptual understanding (not just recall)? ______
- Do I explicitly help students transfer learning to new contexts? ______
If you answered "no" to some of these, you've identified growth areas. If you answered "yes" to all of them, you're ready to refine and deepen your practice.
Chapter 1 Templates
Template 1.1: CBI Self-Assessment Tool
+============================================================================+
| CBI SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL |
| Where Am I in My CBI Journey? |
+============================================================================+
| Name: ___________________________ Date: ____________ School: ______________ |
+============================================================================+
SECTION 1: CURRENT PRACTICE SNAPSHOT
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| How would you describe your current teaching approach? |
| |
| [ ] Primarily content/coverage-focused |
| [ ] Beginning to incorporate concepts |
| [ ] Regularly teaching through concepts |
| [ ] Fully integrated CBI practice |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
SECTION 2: CONCEPT IDENTIFICATION
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Rate yourself (1=Rarely, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always) |
| |
| I can identify concepts within my curriculum content _____ |
| I explicitly name and discuss concepts with students _____ |
| Students can identify concepts in what they're learning _____ |
| I plan units around concepts rather than just topics _____ |
| |
| Concept Identification Subtotal: _____ / 16 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
SECTION 3: GENERALIZATIONS
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Rate yourself (1=Rarely, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always) |
| |
| I can write clear generalizations for my units _____ |
| My generalizations are truly transferable _____ |
| Students arrive at generalizations through inquiry _____ |
| Students can apply generalizations to new situations _____ |
| |
| Generalizations Subtotal: _____ / 16 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
SECTION 4: INQUIRY PRACTICE
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Rate yourself (1=Rarely, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always) |
| |
| Students investigate questions, not just receive answers _____ |
| I use provocations to spark curiosity _____ |
| Students construct their own understanding _____ |
| Inquiry is the primary mode of learning in my classroom _____ |
| |
| Inquiry Practice Subtotal: _____ / 16 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
SECTION 5: ASSESSMENT ALIGNMENT
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Rate yourself (1=Rarely, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always) |
| |
| My assessments measure conceptual understanding _____ |
| Students demonstrate transfer to new contexts _____ |
| I use performance assessments (not just tests) _____ |
| Assessment criteria include conceptual understanding _____ |
| |
| Assessment Subtotal: _____ / 16 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
SECTION 6: TOTAL SCORE AND REFLECTION
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Total Score: _____ / 64 |
| |
| Interpretation: |
| 16-24: Beginning your CBI journey |
| 25-40: Developing CBI practice |
| 41-56: Proficient CBI practitioner |
| 57-64: Advanced CBI practitioner |
| |
| My greatest CBI strength: |
| _______________________________________________________________________ |
| |
| My greatest area for growth: |
| _______________________________________________________________________ |
| |
| One thing I'll try this week: |
| _______________________________________________________________________ |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Template 1.2: Concept Identification Starter
+============================================================================+
| CONCEPT IDENTIFICATION STARTER |
| Finding Concepts in Your Current Content |
+============================================================================+
| Teacher: _________________________ Unit/Topic: ___________________________ |
+============================================================================+
STEP 1: WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING?
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Current Topic: ___________________________________________________________ |
| |
| Key facts/information students need to know: |
| 1. ___________________________________________________________________ |
| 2. ___________________________________________________________________ |
| 3. ___________________________________________________________________ |
| 4. ___________________________________________________________________ |
| 5. ___________________________________________________________________ |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
STEP 2: CONCEPT BRAINSTORM
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Ask: "What abstract ideas are present in this content?" |
| |
| Possible concepts (list as many as you can think of): |
| |
| ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ |
| |
| ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ |
| |
| ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
STEP 3: CONCEPT TESTING
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Test each potential concept with these questions: |
| |
| Concept 1: _______________________ |
| [ ] Is it abstract (not something you can touch)? |
| [ ] Is it timeless (applies across time and place)? |
| [ ] Is it universal (has examples in different contexts)? |
| [ ] Can it be stated in one or two words? |
| VERDICT: [ ] True Concept [ ] Revise [ ] Not a Concept |
| |
| Concept 2: _______________________ |
| [ ] Is it abstract (not something you can touch)? |
| [ ] Is it timeless (applies across time and place)? |
| [ ] Is it universal (has examples in different contexts)? |
| [ ] Can it be stated in one or two words? |
| VERDICT: [ ] True Concept [ ] Revise [ ] Not a Concept |
| |
| Concept 3: _______________________ |
| [ ] Is it abstract (not something you can touch)? |
| [ ] Is it timeless (applies across time and place)? |
| [ ] Is it universal (has examples in different contexts)? |
| [ ] Can it be stated in one or two words? |
| VERDICT: [ ] True Concept [ ] Revise [ ] Not a Concept |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
STEP 4: SELECT YOUR LENS CONCEPTS
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Primary concept for this unit: ___________________________________________ |
| |
| Why this concept? What does it help students understand? |
| _______________________________________________________________________ |
| |
| Supporting concept(s): ___________________________________________________ |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
STEP 5: SO WHAT?
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Why does understanding this concept matter beyond this unit? |
| _______________________________________________________________________ |
| _______________________________________________________________________ |
| |
| Where else might students encounter this concept? |
| _______________________________________________________________________ |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Chapter 1 AI Prompts
Prompt 1: Concept Identifier
I'm teaching a unit on [TOPIC] to [GRADE LEVEL] students.
Help me identify concepts present in this content by:
1. Listing 8-10 potential concepts (abstract, timeless ideas) present in this topic
2. For each concept, provide:
- A one-sentence definition appropriate for my grade level
- Two examples of how this concept appears in different contexts
3. Recommend 2-3 concepts that would be most powerful as organizing lenses for this unit
4. Explain why these concepts would help students achieve transferable understanding
My curriculum standards require students to learn: [PASTE STANDARDS IF AVAILABLE]
Prompt 2: Structure of Knowledge Mapper
I'm planning a concept-based unit. Help me map the Structure of Knowledge.
My topic is: [TOPIC]
My grade level is: [GRADE]
My primary concept is: [CONCEPT]
Please create a Structure of Knowledge diagram for this unit that includes:
1. 5-8 key FACTS students will learn
2. 2-3 TOPICS that organize these facts
3. 2-3 CONCEPTS that provide lenses for understanding
4. 2 possible GENERALIZATIONS students could construct
Format this as a hierarchical diagram and explain how factual learning supports conceptual understanding in this unit.
Prompt 3: Concept vs. Topic Clarifier
I'm not sure if what I've identified are true concepts or just topics. Help me clarify.
Here's my list:
[LIST YOUR POTENTIAL CONCEPTS]
For each item, tell me:
1. Is this a true concept, a topic, or something else? Why?
2. If it's not a concept, what concept might underlie it?
3. Provide the "concept test":
- Is it abstract?
- Is it timeless?
- Is it universal (appears in multiple contexts)?
Help me understand the distinction with specific examples from my list.
Prompt 4: CBI Readiness Diagnostic
I'm beginning my concept-based inquiry journey and want to assess where I'm starting from.
Here's a description of my current teaching practice:
[DESCRIBE HOW YOU CURRENTLY PLAN AND TEACH]
Please analyze my current practice and:
1. Identify elements that already align with CBI
2. Identify areas where I could shift toward more conceptual teaching
3. Suggest 2-3 specific, manageable first steps I could take
4. Provide an example of how I might transform one of my current lessons using a conceptual lens
Be honest but encouraging—I'm committed to growing but don't want to be overwhelmed.
Prompt 5: Transfer Connection Builder
I want to help students see how concepts transfer across contexts.
My concept: [CONCEPT]
My current content: [WHAT YOU'RE TEACHING]
My grade level: [GRADE]
Generate:
1. 5 examples of where this concept appears in other subject areas
2. 5 examples from students' everyday lives (age-appropriate)
3. 3 examples from current events or popular culture
4. 2-3 questions I could ask to help students make these connections themselves
I want students to see that [CONCEPT] isn't just something we study in [SUBJECT]—it's a tool for understanding the world.
Key Takeaways: Chapter 1
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Concept-Based Inquiry combines concept-based curriculum (concepts and generalizations) with inquiry-based learning (student-driven meaning-making).
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CBI is grounded in cognitive science: Schema theory, transfer research, and levels of processing all support teaching through concepts.
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The shift from coverage to uncoverage: Our job isn't to expose students to content; it's to help them construct transferable understanding through content.
-
Three dimensions of learning: Factual knowledge, skills, and conceptual understanding work together, with concepts as the integrating force.
-
The Structure of Knowledge (Erickson) helps us see how facts and topics relate to concepts and generalizations.
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The Structure of Process (Lanning) extends this thinking to skill-based disciplines.
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CBI is a journey: Meet yourself where you are and take manageable steps toward more conceptual, inquiry-based practice.
What's Next
In Chapter 2, we'll explore the six-phase inquiry model that structures how students move through a CBI learning experience. You'll learn how to design each phase—Engage, Focus, Investigate, Organize, Generalize, and Transfer—and how the phases work together to construct deep, lasting understanding.