Inquiry approach goes beyond science processes to require that students be given the opportunity to reason, use critical thinking, apply what is learned to develop an understanding of science. "A challenge to teachers of science is to balance and integrate immediate needs with the intention of the yearlong framework of goals." --National Science Standards

The experiment exemplifies the following National Science Standards.
Teachers give the students the opportunity to develop a problem, design a solution, and after implementing it the students need to evaluate.
Science Teaching Standards and Inquiry
http://bob.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/3.html

Content Standards Grades 5-8
A. Unifying Concepts and Processes:

• Systems, order, and organization
• Change, constancy, and measurement
• Form and function

• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understandings about scientific inquiry

• Properties and changes of properties in Matter
• Transfer of energy

• Structure and function in living systems
• Populations and ecosystems
• Diversity and adaptations of organisms

• Abilities of technological design
• Understandings about science and technology

• Personal health
• Populations, resources, and environments
• Risks and Benefits
• Science and technology in society

• Websites for information:
• Science Content Standards for grades 5-8
• http://bob.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/6d.html
• Science Content Standards for grades 9-12
• http://bob.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/6e.html

1. Make a drawing or poster with labels on the relationship of UV radiation and phytoplankton and write a paragraph to explain it.
2. Use the same rubric and compare the differences in the vocabulary used, relationships and extensions.