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Our Summit Learning Hub features a culturally relevant curriculum consisting of 20 inquiries all designed to be inclusive and reflective of a wide variety of cultural contexts.
States and districts are increasingly calling for ethnic and gender studies to be included in curriculum. To meet this demand, Summit Learning has teamed up with C3Teachers to create inquiries that centering on the stories, histories, and experiences of diverse communities. The educators we work with at Summit Learning and C3 Teachers are asking for more culturally relevant materials that represent the communities they serve. So, we are delivering critical inquiries here to lift up your classroom instruction!
Historically, many subjects and curricula don’t represent all students. Yet, researchers have found that when students can see themselves in lessons, they learn more. With the variance in cultural contexts across the country, how should programs approach building curriculum for different subjects and cultures?
We believe that inquiry is the answer. And we deliver inquiry learning experiences that focus on culturally relevant curriculum with an inclusive focus. Culture is not a thing that some people have and others do not. Appalachian, Latinx and women’s histories (for example) are equally valid, worthy of study for all students.
The inquiries available on this Summit Learning Hub will help you to elevate your teaching and to engage students with culturally relevant learning opportunities that align with your students’ needs. We think that you will find our inquiries engaging, relevant and enriching for your students.
These built using the Inquiry Design Model and feature a blueprint with a description of how the inquiry might be taught. All of the inquiries connected to ..
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Mexican Revolution. By investigating the compelling question, students examine justice; by completing this inquiry, students begin to understand that revolutions may not bring justice to all.
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of representation in the Senate. The fact that representation in the U.S. Senate ignores the size of each state’s population has both benefits and challenges. As students work through the supporting questions, formative tasks, and featured sources, they are able to explore those benefits and challenges and decide…
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This action-embedded inquiry leads students through an investigation of how they can make a difference in their community. By featuring an opportunity for students to think through the issues that surround them, the inquiry enables them to choose one to work on, to decide what kinds of action they could take, to assess the challenges…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the conflict between the institution of slavery and the new nation’s founding ideals. Black voices are noticeably absent in the early United States’ narrative, but by investigating Black geniuses such as John Parker, Charlotte Dupuy and Lewis, and Harriett Hayden we can honor their resistance, perseverance and…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the three waves of feminism. The first wave (1848 to 1920) focused on inequalities like gaining women’s suffrage (the right to vote) and economic, civil, and political rights. In the second wave (1963 to the 1980s), women addressed a wide range of issues, including unofficial inequalities, official…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of Isabel Wilkerson’s 2020 book, Caste: The Origins of our Discontents. The central thesis of her work is that American racism is built on a caste system. She builds her argument by highlighting Nazis Germany and the Indian caste system as she defines the central pillars of caste….
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the nature of warfare in the 21st century. Focusing on the concept of total war, students explore how different elements of warfare from World Wars I and II compare to the way war is waged today. Students are introduced to a definition of total war that identifies…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of how we respond to the needs of refugee communities. With the example of King Najashi (in the 7th century Kingdom of Aksum, modern Eritrea), students an historical instance of a national leader extending compassion to a refugee community. Students examine contemporary examples of national leaders who do…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of questions around Indigenous People’s land rights. Focusing on the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), students explore how disputes over treaties and historical land bases complicate the already contentious issue of resource extraction. Students are progressively introduced to land rights issues centering on the experiences of…
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In this inquiry, students investigate police and policing reform in historical and modern contexts. Framed by the compelling questionㄧHow should we reform policing?ㄧstudents explore the form and function of policing in order to evaluate reforms and create their own reform policy proposal. First, students examine the purpose of policing, considering the role police play in…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation that explores the struggle for equality through social justice movements. Specifically, students explore the tension between the assumption that “all [people] are created equal,” a guiding principle from the Declaration of Independence, and the reality of legal and social structures that do not treat all people equally. By…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of questions around Indigenous People’s land rights. Focusing on the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), students explore how disputes over treaties and historical land bases complicate the already contentious issue of resource extraction. Students are progressively introduced to land rights issues centering on the experiences of…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of Guatemala’s recent history, with emphasis on the coup of 1954, and the resulting effects that ripple into the present. At the center of this project is the question: How can we pursue justice? This compelling question is explored in the context of Guatemala’s history and the advocates…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation that assesses the extent to which street art benefits communities. In doing so, it provides students with the opportunity to explore the history and tradition of Latinx street murals, the multiple reasons why street art is created, and the various ways that individuals react to street art. Although…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation that assesses the extent to which gender roles empower or limit the agency of women. In doing so, it provides students with the opportunity to explore how women, specifically Latina and Black women, have utilized various ways to push against social norms and to expand what is considered…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of Black women writers and the literary devices they employ to communicate with audiences and “be heard.” The compelling question—What gets Black women heard?—asks students to evaluate the writing of three prominent Black women writers and contemporary Black writers in order to deconstruct the relevance and meaning behind…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the use of reparations to make amends for the enslavement, exploitation, and generational racism Black people have endured. The compelling question﹣Why are reparations controversial?﹣asks students to evaluate the controversy surrounding reparations payments, engage with narratives of Black people, and compare precedents set by organizations and governments. This…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of global citizenship, global cooperation, as well as how local solutions have been used to solve shared global issues. The inquiry is designed to open students’ eyes to their role as global citizens. It is also designed for students to uncover the similarities in issues faced by rural…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the education system in the United States, focusing on the extent to which systemic racism continues to plague modern schooling. Students investigate schooling before and after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case in order to evaluate the impact and effectiveness, or “success,” of school…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the ways in which people gain and exercise power. Power is a social phenomenon that comes in many forms. However, it is often the case that the ways that people achieve power helps to determine how that power is used. Although this compelling question is broad, the…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation that examines the purpose and effects of gun legislation in the United States. In doing so, it provides students with the opportunity to critically examine the motives behind gun laws and the disproportionate impact of gun violence on Black and Latinx communities. Although this compelling question seems straightforward,…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation that assesses the extent to which celebrities and public figures have a social responsibility to give back to the communities and take stances on controversial issues. The inquiry provides students with the chance to explore the current ways celebrities influence society and the risks those celebrities face when…
Summit Learning was created by educators for educators, and it incorporates decades of scientific research that hasn’t made its way into the majority of American classrooms. The strength of Summit Learning is our continuous work to combine the real-life experiences of teachers in thousands of classrooms across the country with the findings of nationally-acclaimed learning scientists. The result is an informed and dynamic classroom approach that stays engaging and relevant because of the teachers who help us to make adjustments that benefit all partner schools.
Teachers in nearly 400 schools have selected Summit Learning as part of the collection of tools and approaches needed to meet their vision for education. C3 Teachers is partnering with Summit Learning to develop a collection of 30 inquiries focused on ethnic and gender studies. Click on the Inquiries tab to learn more.
Summit Learning, helps schools prepare students with the skills, knowledge, and habits to lead fulfilled lives long after they graduate. In Summit Learning classrooms, students learn from teachers through whole group instruction, small group sessions, and one-on-one mentoring. With hands-on projects and group learning, teachers show students how to apply lifelong skills — such as collaborating with a team, interpreting data and presenting persuasive arguments.
Learn more at https://www.summitlearning.org/.
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.
