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The South Carolina C3 Hub is a community of educators whose goal is to develop resources that will aid in the implementation of inquiry-based instruction in the state’s social studies classes.
These inquiries were developed by classroom teachers through the IDM Writing Collaborative coordinated by Clemson University and Winthrop University social studies methods professors. South Carolina teachers of all grade levels who are interested in participating should contact one of the organizers:
Dr. Koti Hubbard (Early Childhood) – kotih@clemson.edu
Dr. Joy Stapleton (Elementary) – stapletonj@winthrop.edu
Dr. Margaret Gillikin (Middle and Secondary) – gillikinm@winthrop.edu
By Madison Bray, B.A., M.A.T.
Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of immigrant experiences throughout the Gilded Age. This inquiry focuses on the concept that America is the “land of opportunity” and a “nation of immigrants” and how that notion has been challenged through the policy and explicit discrimination that occurred during the Gilded Age. This inquiry allows students to see the reasons why Asian and Southern and Eastern European immigrants were migrating to the US and what challenges they faced once they arrived. Students get to decide if the challenges faced here outweigh the challenges immigrants would have faced if they were to stay in their places of origin.
By Ellen Rosaline Jordan
Greenville County Schools, South Carolina
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the racially segregated schools in South Carolina and across this nation that eventually led to the landmark Supreme Court Case of Brown v Board of Topeka. Briggs v Elliott was the first Supreme Court case, and there were four others going on about the same time in Virginia, Delaware, Washington DC and Kansas.
Baylie Rogers, M.A.T
Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of how different marginalized groups that lived in South Carolina, and all over the Colonies, helped the Patriots either win the Revolutionary War or sometimes fought against them. Women and enslaved African Americans made huge contributions to each side during the Revolution even though no matter which side won, neither group would have the same freedoms as white, male landowners.
By Michaela Bessinger
Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students to examine the social and historical issues that have contributed to contemporary segregation in schools in the rural South today. Contrary to the belief that schools integrated immediately following the Brown v. Board Decision, this lesson dives into the ways in which schools did not integrate as efficiently as possible, leaving room for these schools to face segregation issues today. The questions and tasks help students examine the ways contemporary segregation has persisted due to social and historical issues, as well as explores the efforts that have been made to fix this ongoing issue that has continued since 1954.
By Jordan Drewello Hoover
Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of how post-traumatic stress disorder evolved over the 20th century and how different wars helped contribute to a better understanding of the illness and how we can better support our veterans. This inquiry investigates PTSD in World War I, World War II, and Vietnam and how perception and research into PTSD and mental health has progressed over the century.
By Jessie Clancy
Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the road to the American Civil War and prompts them to examine factors that caused conflict among the states. Students will investigate economic factors that divided as well as connected the Northern and Southern states, the significance of slavery, as well as key events that heightened tension within the country. Students will construct an argument explaining why they believe the American Civil War could have been avoided through compromise, or if the Civil War was in fact, inevitable.
By Olivia Bedenbaugh, B.A.
Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of how different groups of people, specifically in South Carolina, were impacted by the American Revolution. Students will be asked to come up with what they believe to be a typical “Patriot” and how minorities, specifically women and African Americans participated. This inquiry will also help students learn about the Revolutionary War by looking at it through the lens of colonists from different groups. Students will learn the role of South Carolina in the American Revolution and examine famous South Carolinians who were important in the fight. It is important to recognize that there was diversity of opinion within each demographic group and that members had various reasons for joining the American cause or not. These reasons were complicated and often related to social or economic situations. However, we have to recognize that people of all groups supported the revolution and helped it to come to fruition. Primary and secondary sources are included.
By Baylie Rogers, B.A., M.A.T.
Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of changes to social, political, and economic changes during the Progressive era. These ideas are expanded through students exploring progressivism through the lens of gender, race/minority groups, and class structure. Many of the ideas or events during this time that were deemed as “progressive” or that were in the name of “progress” were hurtful to other groups. It is important for students to understand that, in history, whenever one group claims an idea/event is creating positive progress, another group can be affected by negatively by the first group’s idea of a positive change.
Project Investigators: Dr. Richard Cox, Dr. Margaret Gillikin, and Dr. Joy Stapleton
Graduate Assistant: Cheyenne Altman, Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of African American inventors during the Gilded and Progressive Eras of American history and how their inventions helped create a “new world.” The students will examine African American inventors and their inventions to determine how African American inventors not only improved the lives of millions with their inventions, but also how these inventions became used in everyday life and the cultural importance of some of these inventions. This inquiry gives the opportunity to broaden the story of the African American experience beyond the traditional emphasis on oppression and exclusion during the Jim Crow era.
Project Investigators: Dr. Richard Cox, Dr. Margaret Gillikin, and Dr. Joy Stapleton
Graduate Assistant: Cheyenne Altman, Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of different African American scientists during the Gilded and Progressive Eras of American history and how these scientists used scientific reasoning to solve various issues. Through examining sources about these scientists, as well as sources about the technology and science of the Gilded and Progressive Eras, students will be able to identify whether these African American scientists were improving the present or enabling the future with their experiments, observations, and inventions. This inquiry gives the opportunity to broaden the story of the African American experience beyond the traditional emphasis on oppression and exclusion during the Jim Crow era.
Sara-Kate Hollis, B.A., M.A.T. , Winthrop University
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the southern textile mills in the United States by investigating the role children played in the textile mills. By investigating the compelling question, students consider the working conditions in the mill, how the textile mill caused changes within society, and how our modern working conditions were created.
The following inquiries were developed by teacher education students at The Citadel, Zucker Family School of Education.
By Ferhana Shah, MAT
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of The New Deal era—a time period in which the United States witnessed a dramatic increase in the size and scope of the federal government as Congress passed an unprecedented amount of legislation in response to the Great Depression. It is not uncommon for high school students to ponder the power and roles of the United States federal government, as they often do not feel directly impacted by the federal government in their daily lives. Through this inquiry, students will discover the origins of the modern-day United States federal government, namely how the relationship between the federal government and the American people fundamentally changed in the 1930s, and how Americans were impacted by and reacted to large-scale reform efforts and other major decisions made by the federal government.
By Hannah Jeffries, MAT
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the theme of nationalism. More specifically, it explores the complexity of nationalism; how it divides as well as unites, and how there is sometimes a fine line between patriotism and nationalism. It also explores current attitudes of leaders – both implicitly and explicitly – specifically on topics that are influenced by nationalistic ideologies. Importantly, this IDM gets students thinking about the pros and cons of nationalism and the potential dangers as well as possibilities of nationalism today.
The following inquiries were developed by participants in Fabric of the Past: Weaving the Twentieth Century at Beaumont Mill and Village in South Carolina, a Landmarks in American History and Culture Workshop hosted by the University of South Carolina Upstate and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Inspired by the history and legacy of South Carolina‘s textile industry, these inquiries apply the principles and practices of community history to various local contexts.
By George Stevens
This inquiry leads students to consider how war affects the lives of ordinary citizens. World War One was chosen specifically for the changes it brought to the role of women in the workforce, African Americans’ understanding of their citizenship, and the economic transformations brought to South Carolina by the presence of multiple training camps. Students examine a variety of historical evidence to analyze how economic and social factors as well as gender and race played a role in shaping the experiences of South Carolinians during World War One.
By Jocelyn Chiu
This inquiry leads students through an investigate the history of their neighborhood, from the mid-18th century to present day. This inquiry can be applied to any community or neighborhood, but this particular narrative will focus on the South Street Seaport in Manhattan. Students will understand the history of the Seaport through the lens of geography, people, and buildings and see how their neighborhood has evolved over time, becoming what it is today.
By Lisa Bondy
This inquiry leads students to use the historical thinking skill of periodization to identify the characteristics that defined the economy and time period between 1862 and 1929 in South Carolina. Students will focus on the textile industry that emerged in South Carolina after the Civil War. Through this inquiry, students will examine multiple sources from multiple perspectives to identify the characteristics of textile workers’ working conditions and living conditions. Students will also examine the impact of the textile industry on children. In previous lessons, students will examine the problems that farmers in South Carolina experienced and other events that contributed to the transition from an agricultural to an industrial economy.
By Maria Hunter
In this inquiry, students will examine the Peace Dale Mill Complex and explore its history, role in shaping our town, and the role townspeople played in the operation of the mill, as well as the contribution to the local and national economy with products produced at the mill.
By Pam Rickman
In this inquiry, students will deepen their understanding of economic development, which was introduced in sixth grade. This inquiry focuses on development factors such as geography (location, resources), economic data, and governments’ investment in human capital. Human capital is a new concept for these students. Prior to beginning this inquiry, students will have learned about the physical geography of South and East Asia, with special attention to the standards-designated nations of North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, and India.
By Rachel Lane
This inquiry encourages students to consider the experiences—both positive and negative—of women in science to get a glimpse of what it means to be a woman in science. Although there are many sources about women in science that could be considered, this inquiry focuses on eight oral history interviews available through the Science History Institute’s Digital Collections. Through the inquiry, students consider social, cultural, racial, economic, and other factors that shaped the experiences of these eight women in science. This inquiry introduces students to women in science from a wide variety of backgrounds to expose them to different experiences women in science have had.
The South Carolina C3 Hub recognizes the need for resources to help teachers implement inquiry-based instruction like that which the South Carolina Social Studies College- and Career-Ready Standards advocate. Teachers who participate in the IDM Writing Collaborative will receive training in how to write inquires following the Inquiry Design Model and will then be able to return to their home districts to share these skills with their colleagues.
One of the goals of the South Carolina C3 Hub is to promote the teaching of diverse points of view and stories. Every child should be able to find people with whom they can identify in the content we teach. #TeachEverybodysHistory is our way of encouraging teachers to consider what they are teaching and how it relates to the students in their classrooms. Look for this hashtag on Twitter and check out the Facebook page Teach Everybody’s History.
C3Teachers.org facilitates open collaborative conversations among teachers as they tinker with their own instructional practice as it relates to the C3 Framework.
If you are interested in offering more professional development opportunities, rethinking or redesigning your social studies curriculum, we’d love to talk.
