Meet the 2026 Inquiry Work Contest winners
Teachers across the country shared inquiry work from their classrooms this fall, from anchor charts and student work to classroom video. Thank you to every teacher who entered. These are the classrooms that stood out.
Students doing the thinking
Entries were scored on how clearly the work shows students investigating a question, building evidence and sharing their own thinking.
Telling the story of 6th grade through cave art
The Human Story
After studying early humans and the stories artifacts can tell, 6th graders created their own Paleolithic cave art. Using four symbols and no words, each student answered the question "What story would you tell?" Then they switched roles, analyzed the art as archaeologists and wrote museum placards to explain it. The finished pieces came together on a simulated cave wall that tells the story of 6th grade.
Sorting artifacts to uncover their stories
Native America
5th graders spent this inquiry investigating what artifacts can tell us and who they belong to. In the video, students work together to sort artifacts from Native American cultures into categories they came up with on their own, including materials, how items were used, time frame, tribe and how items were made. They then took a position on whether artifacts should be kept in museums or returned to their cultures of origin and wrote out their claims and reasoning, shown in the photo.
Interviewing the grown-ups who help our school
Navigating School
Kindergartners brainstormed the grown-ups who help at school and voted to interview their custodian. With teacher support, they wrote questions to learn about his role and his life outside of work, then illustrated and labeled what they learned.
A layer cake for a healthy democracy
Rights and Responsibilities
3rd graders designed a layer cake to show their audience how people can take part in a democracy. They decided which layer should support the ones above it, from knowing how government works and using your rights to staying informed, volunteering and voting.
Comic strips on the Agricultural Revolution
The Human Story
6th graders created two-part comic strips about the Agricultural Revolution. First, they illustrated the changes it brought, like farming in place of hunting and gathering and people taking on different jobs. Then they showed the impact on daily life and weighed the tradeoffs, such as a steadier food supply against crop failures and disease from domesticated animals.
More standout classrooms
These classrooms will also be featured in this year's showcase.
Star student bookmarks
My Team and Self
Students designed bookmarks about being a star student, and the winning designs are printed in color and handed out with library books.
A colonial regions quilt
The Colonial Era
Students researched how culture, geography and economics shaped each colonial region, then designed quilt blocks based on historical regional patterns that came together as a bulletin-board-sized quilt.
Native America inquiry wall
Native America
Students turned their research into large posters connected to each region on a hallway map that families explored during conferences.
Mapping a community's needs and wants
Meeting Needs and Wants
Students built a class community called Sunset California and created a word splash connecting their vocabulary, with many placing scarcity at the center.
Vocabulary anchor chart challenge
Natural Resources of the U.S.
Students reviewed unit vocabulary by racing to place each term on the correct anchor chart.
Student Works
Explore examples from the Inquiry Work Gallery.
Click on a thumbnail below to expand and view more images.
Co-created Sparks of a Revolution anchor chart
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Anchor Chart
Co-created Sparks of a Revolution anchor chart
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
Co-created anchor chart about the success factors of the American Revolution.
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Anchor Chart
Co-created anchor chart about the success factors of the American Revolution.
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
Our Inquiry Unit - 4th Grade California: The Diverse Geography of California After student groups studied a particular region of California, they used their annotated articles to pull ideas/descriptive words to help them write a haiku about that region. We created an interactive bulletin board where students passing by in the hallway could guess what region was being described in the haiku and then check their answer by flipping the card. Students also created illustrations to go along with their answer.
Our State and Region
4th Grade
Wall Display
Our Inquiry Unit - 4th Grade California: The Diverse Geography of California After student groups studied a particular region of California, they used their annotated articles to pull ideas/descriptive words to help them write a haiku about that region. We created an interactive bulletin board where students passing by in the hallway could guess what region was being described in the haiku and then check their answer by flipping the card. Students also created illustrations to go along with their answer.
Additional Info
Wendee Lipnick from Walnut Creek School District: CA, 4th Grade
This unit was a fantastic opportunity for my students because they researched their nations and proudly prepared presentations to share essential data, and made genuine connections with other countries.
Global Connections
3rd Grade
Other
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This unit was a fantastic opportunity for my students because they researched their nations and proudly prepared presentations to share essential data, and made genuine connections with other countries.
Additional Info
Gloria Navarrete Rodriguez from dpsk12.net: CO, 3rd Grade
My students worked in collaborative groups after completing module one to brainstorm ways to be global citizens. They created posters and presented them to the class.
Global Connections
3rd Grade
Wall Display
My students worked in collaborative groups after completing module one to brainstorm ways to be global citizens. They created posters and presented them to the class.
Additional Info
from , 3rd Grade
The bulletin board shows a cross curricular connection between ELA and Social Studies. We studied poetry in ELA and Natural Resources in Social Studies. Students wrote poems to describe the uses, challenges, and solutions of using natural resources.
Natural Resources of the U.S.
4th Grade
Inquiry-Long Display
The bulletin board shows a cross curricular connection between ELA and Social Studies. We studied poetry in ELA and Natural Resources in Social Studies. Students wrote poems to describe the uses, challenges, and solutions of using natural resources.
Additional Info
Ronye Craft from Detroit Public Schools Community - Parent District: MI, 4th Grade
We created a connections wall utilizing our individual maps to show how we are all connected!
Global Connections
3rd Grade
Inquiry-Long Display
We created a connections wall utilizing our individual maps to show how we are all connected!
Additional Info
from , 3rd Grade, 4th Grade
After working through the modules, the children really wanted to show off their learning and take action in a hands on way. They were very eager to create something specifically about the people and places that make our school a great place to learn. This final product is their model of the school learning spaces and all the children and school helpers that are special to them!
Navigating School
Kindergarten
Final Product
After working through the modules, the children really wanted to show off their learning and take action in a hands on way. They were very eager to create something specifically about the people and places that make our school a great place to learn. This final product is their model of the school learning spaces and all the children and school helpers that are special to them!
Additional Info
from , Kindergarten
This is our inquiry wall that we build throughout the American Revolution. There is a timeline on the bottom with the events. The students made portraits of revolutionaries on one side (quick sketches).
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Inquiry-Long Display
This is our inquiry wall that we build throughout the American Revolution. There is a timeline on the bottom with the events. The students made portraits of revolutionaries on one side (quick sketches).
Additional Info
Kkish from Hover: PA, 5th Grade
Inquiry Question Chart for Colonial Era
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Investigation Questions Anchor Chart
Inquiry Question Chart for Colonial Era
Additional Info
Sarah Garcia from Maywood School District 89: IL, 5th Grade
My students participated in a jigsaw activity where they explored various historical events connected to our state’s story. Each student became an “expert” on one event, then worked to explain why that event is important to include in the broader story of our state’s history. This module encouraged teamwork, critical thinking, and pride in our local heritage. The students did a fantastic job making meaningful connections and expressing why these moments matter to our shared story!
Our State and Region
4th Grade
Handout
My students participated in a jigsaw activity where they explored various historical events connected to our state’s story. Each student became an “expert” on one event, then worked to explain why that event is important to include in the broader story of our state’s history. This module encouraged teamwork, critical thinking, and pride in our local heritage. The students did a fantastic job making meaningful connections and expressing why these moments matter to our shared story!
Additional Info
from , 4th Grade
Students wrote non-fiction texts about Native American groups.
Native America
5th Grade
Other
Students wrote non-fiction texts about Native American groups.
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
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