4th Grade

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the influence of slavery on the history of individual states, particularly highlighting Kentucky. (The blueprint for this inquiry was purposefully written so as to allow for other states or regions to adapt it to their local particulars.) By investigating the compelling question–How did slavery shape my state?–students examine the growth and development of slavery, the ways in which the slave system differed from place to place, the violence endured by slaves, and how this portion of the country’s history is (or isn’t) being remembered. By completing this inquiry, students will begin to understand how slavery had a significant impact on the development of the country and their particular region, while also have them consider the extent to which historical memory is appropriately reflecting its impact.

The Heart of Social Studies

Inquiries

Filed Under:

4th Grade, 5th Grade
Kentucky
Civil War, Geography, local history, State history, US Government, US History
Tier 1

Slavery in Kentucky

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Manhattan Purchase

On the surface, the compelling question for this inquiry, “What’s the real story behind the purchase of Manhattan?” asks students to explore the background to the story of the sale of Manhattan to the Dutch in 1626 for $24 of beads and trinkets. A closer look at the story reveals a range of myths and…

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Appalachia

This 2016 Inquiry Challenge winner inquiry asks students to explore the cultural diversity in Appalachia. Students look across artisan crafts and artifacts, music, and literature to investigate their culture. Every place is home to someone and it is important to look at what makes each of our homes special. The culture students are looking at…

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Government and Citizens

This inquiry is an exploration into government that begins by looking at the historical roots of democracy in the United States and then focuses on state government. The inquiry features a case study of a piece of legislation, initiated by a class of New York State elementary school students that resulted in yogurt becoming the…

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Industrialization

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Industrial Revolution in the United States by examining the manufacturing industry as a proxy for industrialization. In weighing the opportunities and costs afforded to New Yorkers as a result of the shift from an agrarian society to an industrial one, students will be able to develop…

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Immigration

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the experiences faced by immigrant groups who traveled to New York throughout the mid-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Understanding those experiences helps students develop keen insights into the cultural fabric of New York State. In examining the initial hopes of immigrants and their reasons for coming to…

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New York Geography

This annotated inquiry focuses on physical geography in general and on the relationship between early (pre-1700) Native American nations and their environments in particular through the compelling question “Does where you live matter?” The compelling question highlights the idea that geography is not a neutral entity. Environments can exert an influence on human existence, but…

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Call for Change

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the women’s suffrage movement in New York State as an example of how different groups of people have gained equal rights and freedoms over time. Through examining the role women played in society before the 20th century and the efforts made by women to gain the right…

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