State history

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 the issue of preserving historic lands and the challenges that face preservation. By investigating the compelling question “Is Progress More Important than Preservation?” students evaluate whether preservation is always the most important consideration, or if there are times when progress must become a priority. The formative performance…

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the influence of slavery on the history of individual states, particularly highlighting Kentucky. (The blueprint for this inquiry was purposefully written so as to allow for other states or regions to adapt it to their local particulars.) By investigating the compelling question–How did slavery shape my state?–students…

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of regionalization by studying Kentucky. By investigating the compelling question about whether or not Kentucky is a southern state, students will need to consider how the study of Kentucky provides a unique lens for thinking about the “what” and “where” of the south. In investigating the people and…