inquirED Blog
Your source for inquiry-based learning and teaching strategies.
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Elementary Social Studies
Creative ways districts are making time for K-5 social studies
Elementary teachers often struggle to protect time for social studies when ELA and math dominate the schedule. This post shares practical strategies from real districts that show how storytelling, clear expectations, and high-quality curriculum can keep social studies thriving. With intentional planning, districts can ensure students build the knowledge they need for literacy, civic readiness, and lifelong learning.
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Webinars
Storytime in Social Studies: Using Picture Books Across an Inquiry
What role can picture books play in social studies, building civic and cultural understanding, as well as developing literacy skills?
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Webinars
Seen, Shared, Shaped Over Time: Making Learning Visible in Social Studies
What does it mean to make learning truly visible—and why does it matter so much for student growth and engagement?
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Literacy in Social Studies: Layered Learning with Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary and secondary sources are powerful tools for building deep social studies knowledge and literacy skills. But using them effectively means going beyond simply providing resources—it requires thoughtful design and intentional sequencing. In a recent webinar, Janelle Marker joined us to discuss how layered learning design can guide students from initial curiosity to deeper understanding and meaningful application.
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The Next Chapter of Social Studies
Across the country, educators are rethinking what social studies can look like. Join the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and inquirED for this three-part webinar series to explore how big ideas become daily instruction.
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Coast to Coast and Classroom to Classroom
How does social studies move from vision to classroom practice across different contexts? Join NCSS and inquirED to examine the real work of social studies instruction: from state-level decisions to classroom realities. Across three conversations, we’ll explore how instructional materials, inclusive inquiry, and elementary priorities intersect, and what it takes to turn big ideas into meaningful learning experiences for students.
Webinars
Acquire, Connect, Transfer: A Framework for Deeper Knowledge Building
How can students build deeper social studies knowledge and make meaningful connections across disciplines? inquirED and NCSS explored a framework for deeper learning with Julie Stern, author of Learning That Transfers and Visible Learning for Social Studies. Discover practical shifts in instructional practice that help students connect ideas and build lasting understanding.
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Lesson Strategies
Your Guide to Meaningful Inquiry Walls in the Classroom
Each unit of Inquiry Journeys, inquirED’s elementary social studies curriculum, includes the creation of an Inquiry Wall – a dynamic display that grows alongside your students’ learning. From start to finish, it captures the questions, connections, and discoveries your students make, serving as both a learning tool and a record of the content knowledge they’ve explored through the inquiry process.
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52 Words: The Meaning and Message of the Preamble
In times of division, the Preamble to the United States Constitution offers a vision of unity and common purpose. We were joined on our webinar by Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University; former U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy; and Colonel Elliott Bales, U.S. Army (Ret.), to explore how the Preamble and other foundational documents can help us find common ground and work together, despite disagreements.
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Webinars
Building a Culture of Discussion in Social Studies Classrooms
How can teachers foster classrooms where students engage deeply in discussions around social studies topics? In our recent webinar, LaKethia White (PD and Learning Lead at inquirED), along with teachers Paul Han and Jolie Blumberg, shared practical strategies to build a culture of meaningful dialogue. They discussed the power of language, norms, and inclusive practices to encourage student engagement, deeper learning, and democratic skills. Read on for key insights and practical takeaways.
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Take a closer look at Inquiry Journeys
Inquiry Journeys (K–5 social studies curriculum) provides inquiry-based instruction for young learners through hands-on investigations and primary source analysis. Explore how elementary students build knowledge and skills by asking questions, analyzing evidence, and connecting learning to their lives and communities.
