Curriculum

Elementary

Social Studies

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Integrated ELA & Social Studies

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Middle School

Social Studies

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Join inquirED this fall for Exploring Inquiry Journeys, a webinar series for school and district leaders. Each session offers practical insights and strategies from our curriculum to engage students and support teachers in inquiry-based elementary social studies.

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Professional Learning
Resources

Resource Collections

Downloadable guides, frameworks, and tools designed to help district leaders take action on social studies curriculum and instruction. Looking for our most downloaded resources? Check the quick links below.

Curriculum Review Guide

Literacy in Social Studies Rubric

Social Studies Pacing Guide

Blog

Fresh ideas, research, and reflections to help district leaders stay sharp and responsive in an evolving social studies landscape.

Webinars

Real-time conversations and on-demand learning with experts and district leaders tackling challenges in social studies education.

NCSS & inquirED

Inquiry Journeys Product Webinars

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free resource

Social Studies Curriculum Review Guide

Download this free tool designed to help educators, districts, and curriculum developers create, evaluate, and select social studies instructional materials that meet the demands of today’s classrooms.

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Exciting Updates and Improvements

When educators speak, we listen. Explore the updates and improvements we've made to support teachers.

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Teacher Editions

Inquiry Journeys’ new Print Teacher Editions bring structured inquiry into an easy-to-use, classroom-ready format. Each spiral-bound edition includes step-by-step lesson plans, assessment guides, and setup supports aligned to the Inquiry model . Grounded in a research-based structure that sequences Launch, Investigation, and Informed Action modules , the Print Teacher Editions help teachers build deep content knowledge and guide students toward meaningful Inquiry Products—all in one place.

Slide Decks

Inquiry Journeys’ Teaching Slide Decks bring each lesson to life with ready-to-use, classroom-projected materials that guide instruction from start to finish. Included in the digital teacher subscription , the decks align directly to the structured Inquiry model and support clear routines for launching questions, analyzing sources, and facilitating discussion. With built-in visuals, prompts, and task directions, teachers can focus on responsive facilitation while keeping learning rigorous, engaging, and on track.

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Unbound by Design

Every unit in Inquiry Journeys is an opportunity for students to think like historians, detectives, and problem-solvers. Instead of old-school bound workbooks, student consumables arrive in an organized, ready-to-use box filled with high-quality handouts, graphic organizers, and investigation tools designed for hands-on learning.

Download Print Sample
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Digital Student Experience

Inquiry Journeys Student Access Feature allows students to engage with digital instructional materials, including primary and secondary sources across a variety of media types and formats and digitally annotate handouts. Teachers can share sources and assign handouts directly from their digital teacher subscription. Students can demonstrate their learning with accessible features, such as text to speech. 

New and expanded integrations

  • Automate teacher and student rostering with Clever and ClassLink.
  • inquirED will integrate with Schoology beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
  • Improved security and integrations with LTI.
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students who received an additional 30 minutes of social studies instruction per day in grades 1-5 outperformed students who received less social studies instruction on ELA tests

Inquiry at A Glance Videos

"Inquiry at a Glance" videos are available for ALL units across the curriculum. These videos provide teachers with an overview of the main ideas and events of the unit.  Find the videos by hitting the “play” button on the Inquiry overview.

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Inquiry Work Gallery

Check out the amazing work that inquirED teachers and leaders have shared this school year

Click on a thumbnail below to expand and view more images.

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This is a family quilt my first grade scholars made about why their families are special. We also included each students fingerprint to show they are unique.

Unit

Families Near and Far

Grade

1st Grade

Example Type

Handout

No items found.

This is a family quilt my first grade scholars made about why their families are special. We also included each students fingerprint to show they are unique.

Additional Info

from , 1st Grade

Unit

Families Near and Far

Grade

1st Grade

Example Type

Handout

We love making these infographics on Jamestown and Plymouth. It is a great way for students to practice making a claim and supporting it using specific evidence which we do in both reading and writing.

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Other

No items found.

We love making these infographics on Jamestown and Plymouth. It is a great way for students to practice making a claim and supporting it using specific evidence which we do in both reading and writing.

Additional Info

Ashley Bestor from Kettle Moraine SD: WI, 5th Grade

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Other

I created a road using thin strips of black paper and craypas. Students were given a half-sheet of paper and told to create a place in our community where our needs were met. I went to the workroom and got some scraps so they could make windows and other shapes for their buildings. Some students made the same building and we put them together to make a two story building. It has been a great conversation piece for when new places come up (could we add that to "Our Community?" Do we have ______ in our community already? Where in the community would you go to meet this need or want?

Unit

Meeting Needs and Wants

Grade

2nd Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

No items found.

I created a road using thin strips of black paper and craypas. Students were given a half-sheet of paper and told to create a place in our community where our needs were met. I went to the workroom and got some scraps so they could make windows and other shapes for their buildings. Some students made the same building and we put them together to make a two story building. It has been a great conversation piece for when new places come up (could we add that to "Our Community?" Do we have ______ in our community already? Where in the community would you go to meet this need or want?

Additional Info

from , 2nd Grade

Unit

Meeting Needs and Wants

Grade

2nd Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

This is my third year using InquirEd and it always amazes me just how much 9 and 10 year olds already know about economics. For example, they might not call their economic choices "opportunity cost," but they are well aware that by making a choice, they are giving up something else.

Unit

Economic Choices

Grade

4th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

No items found.

This is my third year using InquirEd and it always amazes me just how much 9 and 10 year olds already know about economics. For example, they might not call their economic choices "opportunity cost," but they are well aware that by making a choice, they are giving up something else.

Additional Info

Tanya Scarpato from Cheltenham School District: PA, 4th Grade

Unit

Economic Choices

Grade

4th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

In Module 2/Lessons 4-5, small groups present "mini posters" of the research they have done on their assigned cultural area. My students really wanted to add more color and artwork, so we decided to make more traditionally sized posters to capture what they learned. Posters are on display in their social studies classroom as well as the hallway. Kids enjoyed their classmates' presentations, and also liked the chance to see what other classes created as well. Posters will stay on display through the conclusion of the inquiry in November.

Unit

Native America

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

No items found.

In Module 2/Lessons 4-5, small groups present "mini posters" of the research they have done on their assigned cultural area. My students really wanted to add more color and artwork, so we decided to make more traditionally sized posters to capture what they learned. Posters are on display in their social studies classroom as well as the hallway. Kids enjoyed their classmates' presentations, and also liked the chance to see what other classes created as well. Posters will stay on display through the conclusion of the inquiry in November.

Additional Info

Yasmin Dalal from The Frances Xavier Warde School: IL, 5th Grade

Unit

Native America

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

Students practiced financial literacy skills by recognizing that saving helps people meet their needs and wants over time. The lesson also encouraged personal reflection and goal-setting, helping students connect the economic concept of saving to their own lives.

Unit

Meeting Needs and Wants

Grade

2nd Grade

Example Type

Handout

No items found.

Students practiced financial literacy skills by recognizing that saving helps people meet their needs and wants over time. The lesson also encouraged personal reflection and goal-setting, helping students connect the economic concept of saving to their own lives.

Additional Info

Amanda Surmann from National Heritage Academies - Parent District: NC, MI, NY, CO, 2nd Grade

Unit

Meeting Needs and Wants

Grade

2nd Grade

Example Type

Handout

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.

Unit

Our State and Region

Grade

4th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

No items found.

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 Elementary School District: CA, 4th Grade

Unit

Our State and Region

Grade

4th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

In this activity, students completed the Changemakers Footsteps handout as part of the 3rd-grade 20th-century Civil Rights Movement unit. The students have been highly engaged and have had thoughtful discussions throughout the lessons. They are beginning to make connections between key events and recognize the patterns of unfairness that people faced during this time. It’s been inspiring to see their empathy and understanding grow as they explore how individuals worked together to create change.

Unit

The 20th Century Civil Rights Movement

Grade

3rd Grade

Example Type

No items found.

In this activity, students completed the Changemakers Footsteps handout as part of the 3rd-grade 20th-century Civil Rights Movement unit. The students have been highly engaged and have had thoughtful discussions throughout the lessons. They are beginning to make connections between key events and recognize the patterns of unfairness that people faced during this time. It’s been inspiring to see their empathy and understanding grow as they explore how individuals worked together to create change.

Additional Info

from , 3rd Grade

Unit

The 20th Century Civil Rights Movement

Grade

3rd Grade

Example Type

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.

Unit

Global Connections

Grade

3rd Grade

Example Type

Other

No items found.

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

Unit

Global Connections

Grade

3rd Grade

Example Type

Other

Our class wrote and drew about their favorite foods they eat for special celebrations. We were joined by our Big Buddy Volunteers from Clearwater Retirement Community who shared some of their traditions too! Our class loves listening to their perspectives and stories, and the volunteers enjoyed helping students create their quilt square. We posted everyone's square on our wall as we compared and contrasted everyone's unique traditions.

Unit

Families Near and Far

Grade

1st Grade

Example Type

Handout

No items found.

Our class wrote and drew about their favorite foods they eat for special celebrations. We were joined by our Big Buddy Volunteers from Clearwater Retirement Community who shared some of their traditions too! Our class loves listening to their perspectives and stories, and the volunteers enjoyed helping students create their quilt square. We posted everyone's square on our wall as we compared and contrasted everyone's unique traditions.

Additional Info

from , 1st Grade

Unit

Families Near and Far

Grade

1st Grade

Example Type

Handout

Students really took ownership and put their own ideas into this massive mural!

Unit

Navigating School

Grade

Kindergarten

Example Type

Wall Display

No items found.

Students really took ownership and put their own ideas into this massive mural!

Additional Info

Emma Stewart from Quality Schools International: IT, Kindergarten

Unit

Navigating School

Grade

Kindergarten

Example Type

Wall Display

1. We took the mini-poster display idea from the lesson, and I added the visuals to support what the students learned to create really eye catching posters. 2. Students color coded their notes to allow them to know which resource to back to for reference.

Unit

Native America

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Handout

No items found.

1. We took the mini-poster display idea from the lesson, and I added the visuals to support what the students learned to create really eye catching posters. 2. Students color coded their notes to allow them to know which resource to back to for reference.

Additional Info

JENNIFER Baker from dpsk12.net: CO, 5th Grade

Unit

Native America

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Handout

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