7th or 8th Grade

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Hunter-Dunbar expedition, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson after the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France.   By investigating the compelling question “Is the Hunter-Dunbar Expedition Worth Remembering?” students evaluate the contributions Dr. George Hunter and William Dunbar made in the discovery and cataloguing of natural resources, geographic features, and Native American groups in the lower portion of the Louisiana Territory (present-day Arkansas). The formative performance tasks build on knowledge and skills through the course of the inquiry and help students draw evidence from articles, charts, graphs, and maps while justifying their reasoning in writing.   Students create an evidence-based argument about whether we should remember their expedition and celebrate the accomplishments and knowledge gleaned from it.

The Heart of Social Studies

Inquiries

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Hunter-Dunbar expedition, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson after the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France. By investigating the compelling question “Is the Hunter-Dunbar Expedition Worth Remembering?” students evaluate the contributions Dr. George Hunter and William Dunbar made in the discovery and cataloguing of natural resources,…

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…