Topic possibilities are incredibly broad. However, some suggestions will help to get you started. In a history or English class, have students investigate the causes of the Holocaust and/or stories of people who were inside the concentration camps. Math inquiry projects allow students to apply the principles of mathematics into investigating the dimensions of a building and creating a scale model or researching how a particular formula was originally created.
Have students engage in an Internet-based inquiry project through using a WebQuest. In WebQuests, students are introduced to a particular scenario that they must solve, based on their prior knowledge and new material that they learn along the way. Have students use the Internet, the school's online databases or books in the school library to uncover more information about the subject. Allow the use of novels or the classroom textbook, as well.
Take students on a field trip to a point of interest relative to their inquiry project. For example, if they are working on a project involving sea otters or manatees, take them to the nearby aquarium to observe the animals and ask the specialists questions. For a science project, students can visit a local arboretum where they will be able to talk to the horticulturalists about how to care for plant life.
In a traditional research-oriented project, have students write a paper or present their findings in graph form. If students are conducting a series of interviews with specialists in fields such as writing, science or art, have them videotape the interview and present it to the rest of the class. Other options for presentation include PowerPoints on the life cycle of the plant or poster boards showing the benefits of recycling.