This inquiry leads students through an investigation of immigration experiences in the United States. By investigating the compelling question—“Is America the ‘Promised Land’ for the world’s immigrants?”—students evaluate the motivating factors and deterrents for immigration to the United States both in the past and present. The formative performance tasks help students build on knowledge and skills through the course of the inquiry and allow students to recognize the push/pull factors for immigrants throughout our history. Students create an evidence-based argument about whether America remains the prime destination spot for many of the world’s immigrants today.
6-8
The Heart of Social Studies
Inquiries
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of immigration experiences in the United States. By investigating the compelling question—“Is America the ‘Promised Land’ for the world’s immigrants?”—students evaluate the motivating factors and deterrents for immigration to the United States both in the past and present. The formative performance tasks help students build on knowledge and…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the South China Sea dispute, in which several nations in East and Southeast Asia are claiming ownership of parts of the sea for various purposes. By investigating the compelling question “Can nations own the sea?” students evaluate whether nations have the sovereign right to claim parts of…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of prehistoric nomadic life. By investigating the compelling question “How do we know the past without written evidence?” students evaluate how nomads communicated, where they lived, and how they defined their needs based on the places they lived. The formative performance tasks build on knowledge and skills through…
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In this inquiry, students investigate one of the best-known stories in American history—the interaction between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags that included the first Thanksgiving. The compelling question “Why did the Pilgrim–Wampanoag friendship go so wrong?” focuses on how the relationship between Native Americans and European settlers deteriorated over time. The Pilgrims’ initial contact with…
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The goal of this inquiry is to help students analyze a pivotal event within the American Revolution. Nearly every American student is familiar with the actions of the Sons of Liberty, yet this inquiry sheds light on the motivations for and consequences of The Boston Tea Party, a turning point in Colonial-British relations. Students look…
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This 2016 Inquiry Challenge winner inquiry leads students through an investigation of water access in the Middle East using various sources that consider geographical, political and economic issues. By investigating the compelling question, students examine the geography of the region, including environmental and demographic relationships, the ecological impact of accessing water, and the subsequent political…
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This 2016 Inquiry Challenge winner leads students through an investigation of ancient Hebrew history and Judaism by using various sources that consider the historical and theological foundations, as well as issues related to geography and place. By investigating the compelling question, students examine the history of the ancient Hebrew people, the principles that form the…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of The Dust Bowl. By investigating the compelling question “Was the Dust Bowl a Perfect Storm?” students gain understanding through reading a variety of texts and analyzing photographs to determine the major causes of the Dust Bowl. By examining the dust bowl through multiple social studies lenses, students…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the conflict between the nation of Israel and the Palestinians. By investigating the compelling question “Why is conflict so difficult to resolve?” students evaluate the levels of cooperation between these two groups, analyze their land claims from multiple perspectives, and consider the human characteristics that influence the…
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This inquiry is framed by the compelling question “Can disease change the world?” Among the many catastrophic global pandemics in history, perhaps none achieved the notoriety of the Black Death. The Black Death was a massive outbreak of the bubonic plague caused by infectious bacteria. Thought by scientists to have been spread by contaminated fleas…