Bringing Learning to Life: The Power of Informed Action in Social Studies
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Bringing Learning to Life: The Power of Informed Action in Social Studies
inquirED
Discover the power of informed action in transforming social studies classrooms. Learn about its benefits, real-world applications, and how it engages students in meaningful and creative ways. Explore high-quality examples from inquiry-based social studies classrooms and find out how to get started with informed action today.
Key Takeaways
What is informed action?
We all know that students learn best when their learning extends beyond the classroom. But how do we make that happen? Through informed action! Informed action engages students in meaningful work that impacts the world – and it’s a key part of inquirED’s social studies programs, Inquiry Journeys (K–5) and Middle School World History.
Informed Action
Informed action is more than just learning information for a test. It’s more than just doing a project without meaningful investigation. Instead, students transform their knowledge into action, connecting it with their lived experiences. It’s a process where students synthesize their learning, design, and iterate. They use what they’ve learned to inspire, change behaviors, solve problems, or serve an audience.
This process not only helps students develop essential skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving, but it also gives purpose and meaning to their work. When students take informed action with what they’ve learned, they see its real-world impact. This deepens their knowledge, engages them, and creates unforgettable learning experiences.
“Informed action asks students to think about their world and what they see around them. What problems do they notice? What do they want to tell people about what they've learned? It just gives them a sense that they have a voice.” – inquirED teacher in Illinois
What does the power of informed action in social studies look like?
Informed action transforms classrooms into vibrant spaces where learning and purposeful. Check out these high-quality examples from inquirED students across the country.
Engaged Citizens
Informed action bridges the gap between classroom learning and the real world by giving students the opportunity totake key insights from their sustained investigation and design action plans that have a real impact.
As part of the “Economic Choices” Inquiry Unit, students created a good or service to sell and then created advertisements for their products. Submitted by a fourth-grade classroom in Oregon.
Authentic Audience
One of the most powerful aspects of informed action is the authentic audience it provides for student work. Whether it's presenting to peers, parents, or community members, students know their efforts are being seen and appreciated.
As part of the “Native America” Inquiry Unit, students created replicas of different Native American tribal lands and homes, exploring the wide diversity of Indigenous peoples and cultures. Submitted by a fifth-grade classroom in California.
Joy in Social Studies Learning
When students are given the opportunity to use their learning to create something meaningful, they become more enthusiastic and engaged. This contagious excitement makes the classroom environment more positive and energetic.
During the “Natural Resources of the US” Inquiry, students created educational board games to help younger students learn about food waste in the US. Submitted by a fourth-grade classroom in Colorado.
Beyond Traditional Assessment
Whether it’s through presentations, projects, or community engagement, students can express their understanding in formats that go beyond traditional tests and assignments. This creativity not only makes learning more engaging but also helps students develop a deeper connection to the content.
In the “Innovation” Inquiry Unit, students learned about the transcontinental railroad. They created a map to show the railroad path. Then, they reflected on what was missing from the map. Submitted by a second-grade classroom in New York.
Transform your classroom through informed action!
Informed action projects bring learning to life. They turn the classroom into a dynamic space where students are excited to learn and motivated to use their knowledge in meaningful ways. These projects not only enhance academic learning but also help foster a sense of purpose and ownership among students, encouraging them to become active, engaged citizens.
"Our partner districts have found that informed action helps both teachers and students see the relevance of social studies. Instead of memorizing facts and figures to perform on a test, students have the opportunity to apply the historical knowledge and social studies concepts they learn through the Inquiry unit to their own lived experiences and make an impact." – Rachel Strang, Managing Implementation Coach at inquirED
“The students are really able to use that time to connect it to social issues that are around the world, or even their own personal life, and I noticed that the kids were very interested and eager to participate in these projects.” – inquirED teacher in Illinois
Ready to bring the power of informed action to your classroom(s)? If you already have an inquirED account, log in now to get started. Not an inquirED school or district? Request more information here.
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Inquiry Journeys, inquirED's K-5 social studies curriculum, engages students in inquiry-based learning, strengthens literacy skills, and supports teachers every step of the way.
inquirED supports teachers with high-quality instructional materials that make joyful, rigorous, and transferable learning possible for every student. Inkwell, our integrated core ELA and social studies elementary curriculum, brings ELA and social studies together into one coherent instructional block that builds deeper knowledge, comprehension, and literacy skills. Inquiry Journeys, our K–5 social studies curriculum, is used across the country to help students develop the deep content knowledge and inquiry skills essential for a thriving democracy,
