The purpose of this investigation was to determine if incorporating problem based learning and guided inquiry would improve student achievement in an acid base unit for high school chemistry. The activities and labs in the unit were modified to be centered around the problem of a fish kill that students investigated. Students also participated in guided inquiry labs to increase the amount of critical thinking and problem solving being done in the classroom. The hypothesis was that the implementation of problem based learning and guided inquiry would foster student learning. Students took a pre-test and post-test on questions covering the objectives of the acid base unit. These assessments were compared to determine the effectiveness of the unit. The results indicate that the unit was effective in increasing student performance on the unit test. This study also analyzed the process of problem based learning. Problem based learning can be an effective method of engaging students in inquiry. However, designing an effective problem based learning unit requires careful design of the problem and enough structure to assure students learn the intended content.
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