inquirED Blog
Your source for inquiry-based learning and teaching strategies.
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Elementary Social Studies
How to Choose a High-Quality Elementary Social Studies Curriculum
Why social studies curricula matter for students, what defines quality, and how to evaluate programs using research-based criteria.
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High Quality Instructional Materials
Exploring the Inquiry Journeys Logic Model
Inquiry Journeys’ reasearch-backed logic model shows how high-quality instructional materials, teacher supports, and leadership guidance connect to lasting outcomes. This blog breaks down the model in plain language, with stories, quotes, and a download link to explore the full framework.
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Elementary Social Studies
Customer Stories
How Oconomowoc made standards stick
Oconomowoc Area School District adopted a new high quality elementary social studies curriculum to meet new standards. Students now practice key inquiry skills—asking questions, analyzing sources, and collaborating—to build deeper understanding across subjects.
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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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Webinars
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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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.
