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Civics

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the modern relevance of presidential campaigns by examining how campaigns are structured, financed, and presented to the American people. By investigating the compelling question, “Do presidential campaigns matter anymore?” students examine historical and contemporary sources that dissect how campaigns have changed over time in order to assess whether or not campaigns still hold relevance in the current political environment in the United States. By completing this inquiry, students begin to understand how presidential campaigns have evolved from their traditional nature and evaluate the extent to which this may be problematic. 

The Heart of Social Studies

Inquiries

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the modern relevance of presidential campaigns by examining how campaigns are structured, financed, and presented to the American people. By investigating the compelling question, “Do presidential campaigns matter anymore?” students examine historical and contemporary sources that dissect how campaigns have changed over time in order to assess…

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A notable phenomenon in US schools is the recent increase in book bans. Between 2021-2023, book bans rose 33% in K-12 public schools. The most consistently challenged books are those that center the lives, histories, and perspectives of people of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale is a trade…

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Young children have a keen awareness of what is fair. Statements like, “she got more ice cream than me!” or “I should get to stay up as late as he does!” signify their observations of and disdain for how people are treated differently. Educators can bring content into the classroom that capitalizes on this predilection…

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…

This inquiry leads 2nd and 3rd grade students through an investigation of their community and the impact of their actions on their community. The compelling question, “How do my actions matter to my community?” gives students the opportunity to think deeper about the roles and responsibilities of every member in the community, from everyday people…

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 challenges posed by hate groups to young people as a lens for understanding the problems posed by xenophobia more broadly. It is part of a series of lessons commissioned by the Democracy Project at the University of Virginia centered around the podcast Democracy in Danger. Democracy…

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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of what can be done about our polluted media environment. The inquiry uses an ecological metaphor to understand our media environment to better understand the causes, effects, and potential solutions to addressing the problem. The inquiry sets up a dichotomy in the ways to potentially address the problem….

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the right to vote as articulated (or not) in the Constitution and the historical and current challenges with voting and election administration. In addressing the compelling question, students will consider the connection of voting to the functioning of our democratic-republic. Students will then investigate what the text…

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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of historical and contemporary social, political, and economic issues posed by mass incarceration. It is part of a series of lessons commissioned by the Democracy Project at the University of Virginia centered around the podcast Democracy in Danger. Democracy in Danger lessons share some basic characteristics. The compelling…