Inquiry in Social Studies Collection

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Inquiry in social studies

Students learn best when they’re asking big questions, investigating real-world issues, and taking informed action. That means designing instruction around compelling Inquiry Questions, essential content, and opportunities for student voice. Through this process, students don’t just learn about the world—they learn to question it, understand it, and engage with it as thoughtful, informed participants in a democracy.

Featured resources

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?

Lesson Strategies

Your Guide to Meaningful Inquiry Walls in the Classroom

Each unit of Inquiry Journeys, inquirED’s elementary social studies curriculum, includes the creation of an Inquiry Wall – a dynamic display that grows alongside your students’ learning. From start to finish, it captures the questions, connections, and discoveries your students make, serving as both a learning tool and a record of the content knowledge they’ve explored through the inquiry process.

Lesson Strategies

Anchor Charts: The Unseen Heroes of Inquiry-Based Learning

Anchor charts are a visually engaging way to support students' learning by providing clear, concise, and relevant information. They act as reference points, helping students to understand and recall concepts more effectively. Anchor charts can be used to introduce new ideas, clarify misconceptions, and summarize key points. They can be tailored to suit any subject, making them a versatile tool that can be used across the curriculum.

Elementary Social Studies

Inquiry-Based Learning: Research

Review key research showing how inquiry-based learning boosts academic outcomes, deepens understanding, and helps close achievement gaps across student groups.

Lesson Strategies

Engaging Discussion Strategy: Conver-Stations Protocol

Conver-stations allow students to discuss topics in constantly changing small groups. Use this format in response to complex discussion prompts or sources, including photos, videos, audio recordings, or written text.

Elementary Social Studies

Why Inquiry-Based Social Studies Matters in K–5 Classrooms

Discover how inquiry-based learning in social studies can transform elementary classrooms. Explore the benefits of student-centered instruction and get practical strategies in our free Inquiry in Social Studies Guide.

Elementary Social Studies

Why Inquiry Skills Matter in K–5 Social Studies Classrooms

Discover the five Inquiry Skills at the heart of inquirED’s K–5 curriculum. Learn how Creative Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Personal Agency, Communication, and Collaboration help students build essential skills and deeper understanding through inquiry-based social studies.

Lesson Strategies

Group Roles | Inquiry Lesson Plan Strategy

In today's collaborative classrooms, the use of group roles can enhance productivity and improve the overall learning experience for students. There are two approaches to group roles: fixed and flexible. Both have their merits, depending on the lesson objectives and the needs of your students. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of each approach, provide examples of roles, and offer tips on how to implement them effectively in your classroom.

Lesson Strategies

Hexagonal Thinking & Mapping: A Dynamic Strategy for Deeper Learning

Imagine your students actively making connections, debating ideas, and visually mapping relationships between key concepts. The Hexagonal Mapping Protocol offers a flexible, engaging way for students to organize their thinking and discover new relationships between ideas. Whether used for inquiry-based learning, unit review, or problem-solving, hexagonal mapping deepens discussion, reinforces connections, and encourages critical thinking.

Elementary Social Studies

What is Inquiry-Based Social Studies?

No matter your entry point – we’ve created & curated information to help you build your knowledge of inquiry-based social studies!

Webinars

Beyond Polarization: Centering the Practice of Inquiry in Social Studies

Explore how powerful questions can counter classroom polarization and promote deeper inquiry in social studies, with insights from educators and curriculum experts.

Elementary Social Studies

Informed Action in Inquiry Journeys: A Garden Grows in Ohio

Find out how students in Ohio took informed action in Inquiry Journeys by creating a community garden

Webinars

Making the Case For Elementary Social Studies: District Leaders

There is a movement growing around the country for elementary social studies. How can district leaders support a new curriculum adoption?

Elementary Social Studies

Inquiry Unit Design

Inquiry in the classroom follows a process that begins with a question, moves through an investigation, and ends in action. But that seemingly simple process is actually incredibly complex. Let’s explore some of that complexity by examining each step in more detail.

Lesson Strategies

See Think Wonder | Inquiry Lesson Plan Strategy

See, Think, Wonder helps students make observations, form inferences, and generate questions about a visual source or artifact. Use it to spark wonderings or introduce new topics.

Lesson Strategies

Mingle Pair Share | Inquiry Lesson Plan Strategy

Mingle Pair Shares are a great way to get students moving around the classroom and talking to different classmates. Use this strategy to encourage students to hear from a variety of perspectives in response to an open-ended question or experience.

Lesson Strategies

Concentric Circles | Inquiry Lesson Plan Strategy

Concentric Circles get students talking to different classmates, allowing them to hear from a variety of perspectives in response to a series of prompts. This protocol fosters understanding of different perspectives while promoting students’ speaking and listening skills.

Lesson Strategies

Artifact Study | Inquiry Lesson Plan Strategy

Artifact studies challenge students to analyze a primary source by identifying evidence, explaining interpretations, and drawing conclusions. Use this format when students analyze an unfamiliar primary source individually, in small groups, or as a whole class.

Lesson Strategies

Unlocking Student Expertise with the Jigsaw Strategy

Imagine a classroom where every student is an expert, eager to share their knowledge and engage in meaningful discussion. That’s the power of the Jigsaw Protocol—a collaborative learning strategy that encourages deep research, critical thinking, and peer teaching. Read below to bettter understand how to facilitate a Jigsaw activity in your classroom.

Elementary Social Studies

Active Listening in an Inquiry-Based Learning Classroom

Discover strategies to teach active listening in elementary social studies—supporting student engagement, respectful dialogue, and stronger classroom discussions.

Elementary Social Studies

Inquiry-Based Elementary Social Studies and the C3 Framework

See how Inquiry Journeys brings the C3 Framework to life—engaging students in inquiry, disciplinary thinking, source analysis, and informed action across every unit.

upcoming Product webinars

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Real classrooms, real conversations and real curriculum in action.

Looking to deepen your understanding of what high-quality, inquiry-based social studies looks like in practice? Join inquirED this fall for Exploring Inquiry Journeys, a webinar series designed to support school and district leaders. Each session offers practical insights into our K–5 social studies curriculum and the strategies schools are using to engage students, support teachers, and build consistency across classrooms.

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Inquiry in Social Studies Guide