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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Families Near and Far
1st Grade
Handout
Additional Info
Jessica Hickey from Lakota Local School District: OH, 1st Grade
This is the infographic students create in Module 3, Lesson 4.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Other
This is the infographic students create in Module 3, Lesson 4.
Additional Info
Danielle Ozanich from Berkley Schools: MI, 5th Grade
Students created these flip books from Module 2/Lesson1: “Mapping our Location.” It took quite a few days to complete all the pages, but students loved learning about all the different places that they live. The song/video “Here I Am” is now a classroom favorite!
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Final Product
Students created these flip books from Module 2/Lesson1: “Mapping our Location.” It took quite a few days to complete all the pages, but students loved learning about all the different places that they live. The song/video “Here I Am” is now a classroom favorite!
Additional Info
Andrea Behm from Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95: IL, 1st Grade
This is the infographic students create in Module 3, Lesson 4.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Other
This is the infographic students create in Module 3, Lesson 4.
Additional Info
Danielle Ozanich from Berkley Schools: MI, 5th Grade
For the Needs and Wants lesson, we co-created an anchor chart, then the students sorted, cut and glued the needs and wants pictures. They discussed the items with their table groups. Most students said you need “love” to survive. ❤️❤️
Families Near and Far
1st Grade
Anchor Chart
For the Needs and Wants lesson, we co-created an anchor chart, then the students sorted, cut and glued the needs and wants pictures. They discussed the items with their table groups. Most students said you need “love” to survive. ❤️❤️
Additional Info
Andrea Behm from Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95: IL, 1st Grade
Families Near and Far
Kindergarten
Final Product
Additional Info
Emily Friend from North Park Elementary School: IL, Kindergarten
These are first graders' awesome end of the unit projects! They had SO much fun teaching others about our special location, our Lakota community!
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Final Product
These are first graders' awesome end of the unit projects! They had SO much fun teaching others about our special location, our Lakota community!
Additional Info
Ledra Bugg from Lakota Local School District: OH, 1st Grade
Although it is a bit difficult to see, our class timeline was on display across our windows. The students became SO excited to add things to our timeline and continuously referred back to activities posted on it. We used a large paper print out of the tri-arrow (past, present, future) to move along above the timeline as we went.
Past, Present, and Future
Kindergarten
Inquiry-Long Display
Although it is a bit difficult to see, our class timeline was on display across our windows. The students became SO excited to add things to our timeline and continuously referred back to activities posted on it. We used a large paper print out of the tri-arrow (past, present, future) to move along above the timeline as we went.
Additional Info
Allison Slater from Iowa City Community School District: IA, Kindergarten
Students loved learning about map skills so we made our own maps. Students had to include a map key and the compass rose. The finished work was amazing!
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Wall Display
Students loved learning about map skills so we made our own maps. Students had to include a map key and the compass rose. The finished work was amazing!
Additional Info
Andrea Behm from Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95: IL, 1st Grade
Students loved learning about map skills so we made our own maps. Students had to include a map key and the compass rose. The finished work was amazing!
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Wall Display
Students loved learning about map skills so we made our own maps. Students had to include a map key and the compass rose. The finished work was amazing!
Additional Info
Andrea Behm from Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95: IL, 1st Grade
Native America
5th Grade
Final Product
Additional Info
Marissa Thomas from Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95: IL, 5th Grade
Students loved learning about map skills so we made our own maps. Students had to include a map key and the compass rose. The finished work was amazing!
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Wall Display
Students loved learning about map skills so we made our own maps. Students had to include a map key and the compass rose. The finished work was amazing!
Additional Info
Andrea Behm from Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95: IL, 1st Grade
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