Celebrating inquiry in every classroom
Teachers across the country shared photos of students in the thick of inquiry — asking questions, testing ideas, and discovering something new. Here are the classrooms that stood out.
Outstanding inquiry across every grade
These classrooms were picked for their creativity, depth of questioning, and student engagement.
The Colonial Era
This end of unit project for the Colonial America unit asks students to explore an important event or aspect of colonial life. Students chose a topic and created an illustration in the medium of their choice. They also wrote a caption that explains the event from the perspectives of the different groups they studied, helping them consider how people experienced the same moment in different ways.
Migration & Movement
After reading about different waves of immigration, third grade students created posters about a specific immigrant group and presented what they learned to the class. The activity sparked discussion about push and pull factors and helped students understand the challenges immigrants faced before and after arriving in the United States.
My Team & Self
In the My Team and Self inquiry unit, students reflected on their own strengths and then identified the strengths of their classmates. They shared and celebrated these qualities as a class while learning how each person contributes to a team. The experience helped students understand the importance of teamwork and appreciating one another.
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Explore examples from the Inquiry Work Gallery.
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The 8-year-old students at Kyiv International School explored global connections and cultural identity to understand how they are linked to the wider world. The students’ final hands-on projects showcase the diverse cultures of people from around the globe. They learned that one meaningful way to recognize and express culture is through many different symbols, and among them are toys - especially dolls – that play a vital role in reflecting traditions, values, and identities across different societies. It was an interesting project that required research to understand the values of our world. Our students had a lot of fun and radiated enthusiasm throughout the doll-making process.
Global Connections
3rd Grade
Other
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The 8-year-old students at Kyiv International School explored global connections and cultural identity to understand how they are linked to the wider world. The students’ final hands-on projects showcase the diverse cultures of people from around the globe. They learned that one meaningful way to recognize and express culture is through many different symbols, and among them are toys - especially dolls – that play a vital role in reflecting traditions, values, and identities across different societies. It was an interesting project that required research to understand the values of our world. Our students had a lot of fun and radiated enthusiasm throughout the doll-making process.
Additional Info
Julia Prima from Quality Schools International: IT, 3rd Grade
This has been such a fun project that I have been adding to all year. Students started with stamping where they were from, and as we learn about different places, cultures, etc they get to add how they are connected to that part of the world. We also added on and linked it to our Literacy curriculum that makes world connections.
Global Connections
3rd Grade
Wall Display
This has been such a fun project that I have been adding to all year. Students started with stamping where they were from, and as we learn about different places, cultures, etc they get to add how they are connected to that part of the world. We also added on and linked it to our Literacy curriculum that makes world connections.
Additional Info
Crystal Bucio from Roaring Fork School District: CO, 3rd Grade
Teacher Unit Anchor charts
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Wall Display
Teacher Unit Anchor charts
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
Written products about revolutionaries and why they were revolutionary.
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Final Product
Written products about revolutionaries and why they were revolutionary.
Additional Info
Dominika Romano from Community Consolidated School District 93: IL, 5th Grade
Students created a class quilt to display for families to view when visiting our classroom! The school loved how we came together as a class family.
Families Near and Far
1st Grade
Handout
Students created a class quilt to display for families to view when visiting our classroom! The school loved how we came together as a class family.
Additional Info
KRISTAL DANA DAUZ from YOUTHFUL OFFENDER PROGRAM AT HIGH DESERT STATE PRI: NV, ELBERT B EDWARDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: NV, CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT: NV, 1st Grade
My 2nd graders have been LOVING this social studies unit and are totally engaged! I guess I just want to say a big thank you for everyone who came together to create this inquiry and how user friendly it is coming from a busy teacher! Good luck to everyone else out there! Thank you again!
Meeting Needs and Wants
2nd Grade
Wall Display
My 2nd graders have been LOVING this social studies unit and are totally engaged! I guess I just want to say a big thank you for everyone who came together to create this inquiry and how user friendly it is coming from a busy teacher! Good luck to everyone else out there! Thank you again!
Additional Info
from , 2nd Grade
Students interviewed family members to learn where they immigrated from. Then they researched that country and its culture.
Migration and Movement
3rd Grade
Final Product
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Students interviewed family members to learn where they immigrated from. Then they researched that country and its culture.
Additional Info
Hregnier from The Cornerstone School: FL, 3rd Grade
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.
Native America
5th Grade
Handout
.jpeg)
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
Students conducted research on the Native peoples of different regions of North America. Students also created the map!
Native America
5th Grade
Wall Display
Students conducted research on the Native peoples of different regions of North America. Students also created the map!
Additional Info
Natalie Taylor from IMAGO DEI MIDDLE SCHOOL: AZ, 5th Grade
After completing our investigation in the unit, students were presented with these different options to showcase their work.
Native America
5th Grade
Final Product
After completing our investigation in the unit, students were presented with these different options to showcase their work.
Additional Info
Hannah Azofeifa-Urena from Flemington-Raritan School District: NJ, 5th Grade
in progress American Revolution inquiry wall
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Wall Display
in progress American Revolution inquiry wall
Additional Info
from , 5th 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
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