Tier 1

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the history and impact of Jim Crow laws. The inquiry opens with a supporting question that encourages students to explore the opportunities and challenges that the Reconstruction posed for African Americans. This work provides a base of knowledge for students to investigate specific opportunities for African Americans today and specific challenges that African Americans face today.

The Heart of Social Studies

Inquiries

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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the history and impact of Jim Crow laws. The inquiry opens with a supporting question that encourages students to explore the opportunities and challenges that the Reconstruction posed for African Americans. This work provides a base of knowledge for students to investigate specific opportunities for African Americans…

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This inquiry leads students an opportunity to explore the role of women in the Civil Rights movements. The inquiry focuses on the efforts of four women in the Civil Rights Movement. The inquiry first asks students to examine how Dolores Huerta’s work contributed to the solidarity of the Civil Rights movement. Students then examine how…

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the two-party system in the United States. Political parties are a central feature of American politics. While political parties were not a part of the original conception of government as established in the U.S. Constitution, they have emerged to play a dominant role in American politics. This…

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the compelling question, Is globalized culture in Bhutan a good thing? The inquiry is shaped by three supporting questions, beginning with a question focused on what the Bhutanese people believe about the preservation of traditional culture. The second supporting question aims to tease out whether the differences…

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Hot Corner business district in Athens, Georgia. In the early 1900s, the Hot Corner was one of the most prosperous Black business districts in the South in spite of legalized segregation and Jim Crow laws (Hot Corner). At the core of the district was the Morton…

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Jefferson Street business district in Nashville, Tennessee. Jefferson Street has been considered, “a lab for some of the most important historical, social and cultural events in the U.S. South” (Facing north: Jefferson street, Nashville). Dave Paulson described the district as being “Nashville’s prime thoroughfare for Black…

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Year after year, Milwaukee lands at or near the top of the most segregated US city list. Individual activists, organizations, and media outlets in Milwaukee work tirelessly to call attention to and address the severely unjust disparities resulting from this racial divide. A call to greater action to repair the deep damage of segregation must…

This inquiry leads 5th-grade students through an investigation of the American Revolution and the varying impacts of individuals who could be deemed heroes based on their impact. The compelling question, “What defines a hero?” allows students to consider all the actions of an individual and if they think that they are worthy of the title…

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the life, achievements, and mystery of Amelia Earhart and her disappearance. The compelling question, “Where did you go, Amelia Earhart?” engages students in discovering the legacy of Amelia Earhart from her youth to her disappearance. Students will use the sources provided by this inquiry to gather information…

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Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. For Black Americans, securing the right to vote has been a battle. While the 14th Amendment granted Black Americans citizenship in 1868, poll taxes, literacy tests, and intimidation created insurmountable barriers to the polls. Due to the courage of many Americans who marched, protested, and applied consistent pressure…