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.
Check out our work from Our Special Location!
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Wall Display
Check out our work from Our Special Location!
Additional Info
Shue, Tiffany from West Aurora School District: IL, 1st Grade
Students had an option to create a 2-D product. Some students made a bookmark. Other students made posters or comics.
Natural Resources of the U.S.
4th Grade
Final Product
Students had an option to create a 2-D product. Some students made a bookmark. Other students made posters or comics.
Additional Info
Olga Velasco from Rio School District: CA, 4th Grade
This is an end of unit project for the Colonial America unit. Students chose an important event or aspect of colonial America and illustrated (in medium of their choice) and wrote a caption with the perspective of all groups that we learned about on the chosen event or aspect.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Final Product
This is an end of unit project for the Colonial America unit. Students chose an important event or aspect of colonial America and illustrated (in medium of their choice) and wrote a caption with the perspective of all groups that we learned about on the chosen event or aspect.
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
Co-created Meet the Revolutionaries anchor chart
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Anchor Chart
Co-created Meet the Revolutionaries anchor chart
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
The community seal was a wonderful way for kids to reflect on their learning about our community before entering the "informed action" portion of the unit.
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Handout
The community seal was a wonderful way for kids to reflect on their learning about our community before entering the "informed action" portion of the unit.
Additional Info
Linda Dostie from Montpelier Public Schools: VT, 1st Grade
We will be bringing our guidebook to the visitor's center in town so that families who visit Montpelier, Vermont can learn and try what kids enjoy most about our city.
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Final Product
We will be bringing our guidebook to the visitor's center in town so that families who visit Montpelier, Vermont can learn and try what kids enjoy most about our city.
Additional Info
Linda Dostie from Montpelier Public Schools: VT, 1st Grade
First graders created their own community seals after the lesson on seals and symbols. We brainstormed all of the things that could visually represent our community and made a big list. Students then chose what to include on their community seal. Our school is in Lake Zurich, IL so we made the "Seal of Lake Zurich". This anchored the learning and helped students demonstrate their understanding of the lesson.
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Wall Display
First graders created their own community seals after the lesson on seals and symbols. We brainstormed all of the things that could visually represent our community and made a big list. Students then chose what to include on their community seal. Our school is in Lake Zurich, IL so we made the "Seal of Lake Zurich". This anchored the learning and helped students demonstrate their understanding of the lesson.
Additional Info
Andrea Behm from Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95: IL, 1st Grade
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Final Product
Additional Info
Heather Popilek from Community Consolidated School District 21: IL, 5th Grade
Students made brochures to showcase their special location… West Chester, Ohio!
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Final Product
Students made brochures to showcase their special location… West Chester, Ohio!
Additional Info
Jessica Hickey from Lakota Local School District: OH, 1st Grade
Students each drew a board game and made cards that move them forward/backward spaces. The cards had norms (i.e. running in the hallway -3 OR raising your hand +2) and the board game was decorate with school spaces (cafeteria, art room). They drew freehand so some were hard to play. Next time I will help them draw the board game layout.
Navigating School
Kindergarten
Final Product
Students each drew a board game and made cards that move them forward/backward spaces. The cards had norms (i.e. running in the hallway -3 OR raising your hand +2) and the board game was decorate with school spaces (cafeteria, art room). They drew freehand so some were hard to play. Next time I will help them draw the board game layout.
Additional Info
Emma Stewart from Quality Schools International: IT, Kindergarten
Today, we explored the concept of diversity. We read “All are welcome here” then students helped to create this anchor chart. Tomorrow, they are going to make diversity posters. Stay tuned….🤗
Families Near and Far
1st Grade
Anchor Chart
Today, we explored the concept of diversity. We read “All are welcome here” then students helped to create this anchor chart. Tomorrow, they are going to make diversity posters. Stay tuned….🤗
Additional Info
Andrea Behm from Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95: IL, 1st Grade
Native America
5th Grade
Other
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
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