This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the various roles of professionals who work in the community. While the focus of this inquiry is limited primarily to first responders, teachers could expand the discussion to include other community helpers or “school helpers” such as the custodial staff, cafeteria staff, librarians, etc. By focusing on aspects of their jobs that are difficult and even dangerous, students have an opportunity to develop empathy and respect for individuals in their community by examining their roles in a new light.
US History
The Heart of Social Studies
Inquiries
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the various roles of professionals who work in the community. While the focus of this inquiry is limited primarily to first responders, teachers could expand the discussion to include other community helpers or “school helpers” such as the custodial staff, cafeteria staff, librarians, etc. By focusing on…
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the construct of a “hero” and the actions of those who, starting on 9/12, were engaged in the rescue, recovery, and cleanup operations for the next nine months. Those attacks and the aftermath have now passed from current event to history. By focusing on a relatively recent…
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the various types of information represented in pictures and in words. By investigating the compelling question, students examine what can be learned by looking at a series of pictures and comparing them with what can be learned by reading the words in a story. By completing this…
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This inquiry leads students through an economic investigation of the mid to late 1800s. By investigating the compelling question, “How Did Cotton Sow the Seeds of Panic?”, students identify the market forces of demand and supply at play in the boom and bust of the cotton industry. They learn how these forces impacted the treatment…
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This inquiry helps students understand current censorship efforts as played out in the past year’s unprecedented number of book bans. Students will examine commonly banned books and will evaluate why different groups–families, teachers, and politicians–argue those books should be banned. The performance tasks provide space for students to understand why people ban books and how…
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This inquiry leads 4th grade students through an investigation of the Santa Fe Trail and its impact on communities, states, and nations. The compelling question, “For Better or Worse, How Did the Santa Fe Trail Change America?” gives students the opportunity to think deeper about the Santa Fe Trail and its impact on the United…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Industrial Revolution from its technological innovations and economic strategies to its reliance on immigrant labor and its effects on individuals and societies. In addressing the compelling question “For whom was progress worth its costs?” students will work through four supporting questions with accompanying formative performance tasks….
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the suffrage movement in Utah and the unique role it played during the national women’s suffrage movement. In addressing the compelling question “How do people respond when democracy is impeded?” students will analyze the reasons women were excluded from voting, the influence of arguments for voting rights,…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Progressive Era and focuses on the working conditions and reform efforts of working-class, industrial populations in the United States. In addressing the compelling question “Does change guarantee progress?” students will analyze how the experiences of workers in the 20th century impacted the need for labor laws…
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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…