Welcome to Inquiry Week!
March 2–6, 2026
All week long, we’re celebrating inquiry by lifting up real classroom work and the questions students and teachers are exploring. If inquiry is happening where you teach, you belong here. There are two ways to participate.
Submit Inquiry Work
Have inquiry work from your classroom? We’d love to see it. You can submit:
- Inquiry Walls or question charts
- Student-generated questions
- Teacher Inquiry Questions
- In-progress work from your classroom
- Anything else that shows inquiry in your classroom!
Share Inquiry Questions
Not ready to submit work yet? You can still join the conversation. Inquiry often starts with a question. A real one that students or teachers are wondering about right now. You can share your Inquiry Question by:
- Commenting on an Inquiry Week post on Instagram or LinkedIn
- Replying to one of our Inquiry Week emails
We’ll be highlighting Inquiry Questions all week so educators can learn from one another.
Share Inquiry Work
Celebrate your students!
Inquiry Week is also about celebrating students and the questions they bring to learning.
We’re sharing a student Inquiry Week certificate you can use to recognize students for their curiosity, questioning, and thinking. It’s a simple way to celebrate inquiry, whether your work feels finished or still in progress.
Contest FAQs
Do submissions need to be perfect?
No. We’re interested in the learning process, not polished final products.
Inquiry work might include student work, vocabulary, anchor charts, images, or other artifacts that show thinking over time. If it reflects real student questions and learning, it counts.
How will winners be chosen?
Submissions are reviewed for creativity, clarity, and how well they represent the inquiry process. Winning submissions may be featured in an Inquiry Work Gallery to help other educators see what inquiry can look like in real classrooms.
What file types can I submit?
You can submit:
- Images (JPG or PNG)
- Videos (MP4 or MOV) Files should be under 100 MB.
Do I need to submit physical copies of student work?
No. Digital submissions work great.
If space is limited, feel free to share smaller pieces of student work or snapshots that capture student thinking, reading, or writing in social studies.
Any tips for taking photos or videos of my inquiry work?
A few simple tips:
- Take more than one photo.
- Include at least one full view, plus a few close-ups.
- Make sure the image is bright and easy to read.
Clear photos help us see student thinking more clearly.
Looking for inspiration?
Explore examples from the Inquiry Work Gallery.
Click on a thumbnail below to expand and view more images.
Our Changing Landscape classroom display with vocabulary word wall and anchor charts.
Our Changing Landscape
2nd Grade
Anchor Chart
Our Changing Landscape classroom display with vocabulary word wall and anchor charts.
Additional Info
Laura Netzer from Cherry Creek Schools: CO, 2nd Grade
As a final inquiry project, students considered hallway behavior that they felt could be improved upon. They designed signs that they thought would promote safe and respectful behavior in different areas of the school.
Civic Engagement
1st Grade
Final Product
As a final inquiry project, students considered hallway behavior that they felt could be improved upon. They designed signs that they thought would promote safe and respectful behavior in different areas of the school.
Additional Info
Barbara Mastin from Deerfield Public Schools District 109: IL, 1st Grade
Students reflected upon the photographs in the Revolutionary Gallery Walk Hook activity for this unit. They were able to understand what revolution and revolutionary meant while they previewed content from the unit to come.
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Handout
Students reflected upon the photographs in the Revolutionary Gallery Walk Hook activity for this unit. They were able to understand what revolution and revolutionary meant while they previewed content from the unit to come.
Additional Info
Elizabeth Nielsen from Skokie District 68: IL, 5th Grade
Students learning about how economic choices can have positive impacts. It is really helpful to have a space where we can add to student learning and showcase student work throughout the unit.
Economic Choices
4th Grade
Investigation Questions Anchor Chart
Students learning about how economic choices can have positive impacts. It is really helpful to have a space where we can add to student learning and showcase student work throughout the unit.
Additional Info
Amanda Hargadine from Canby School District: OR, 4th Grade
The students LOVED making historical models and didn't even notice that I was having them practice making a claim (to name what they wanted to show with their model), use primary sources (to make their details historically accurate, and elaborate on their thinking (with a maker statement). They created a scavenger hunt for other classes to do as they visited our exhibit. While these projects took a long time and were messy, they were worth it for the high student engagement and deep thinking they prompted.
The American Revolution
5th Grade
Final Product
The students LOVED making historical models and didn't even notice that I was having them practice making a claim (to name what they wanted to show with their model), use primary sources (to make their details historically accurate, and elaborate on their thinking (with a maker statement). They created a scavenger hunt for other classes to do as they visited our exhibit. While these projects took a long time and were messy, they were worth it for the high student engagement and deep thinking they prompted.
Additional Info
Betsy McMichael from Roaring Fork School District: CO, 5th Grade
My students created dioramas to show globalization in different settings. One group created a diorama showing Epcot/Disney World. Another group showed how different places receive products. They were very engaged and excited to show the meaning of globalization and how we are connected as a community and world.
Global Connections
3rd Grade
Final Product
My students created dioramas to show globalization in different settings. One group created a diorama showing Epcot/Disney World. Another group showed how different places receive products. They were very engaged and excited to show the meaning of globalization and how we are connected as a community and world.
Additional Info
Talitha Cutchin from Roaring Fork School District: CO, 3rd Grade
Our class learned about the making of the transcontinental railroad and how it impacted our country. As part of the reflection, the students did a craft to match the lesson.
Innovation
2nd Grade
Other
Our class learned about the making of the transcontinental railroad and how it impacted our country. As part of the reflection, the students did a craft to match the lesson.
Additional Info
Cynthia Atkinson from National Heritage Academies - Parent District: NC, MI, NY, CO, 2nd Grade
Documenting history, students took pictures of current playground. They illustrated changes to landscape as solar panels will be added to building and playground will be redesigned.
Our Changing Landscape
2nd Grade
Inquiry-Long Display
Documenting history, students took pictures of current playground. They illustrated changes to landscape as solar panels will be added to building and playground will be redesigned.
Additional Info
Jennie Greene from Skokie District 68: IL, 2nd Grade
Students illustrated and organized flip book handouts.
Our Special Location
1st Grade
Wall Display
Students illustrated and organized flip book handouts.
Additional Info
Jennie Greene from Skokie District 68: IL, 1st Grade
Students created an innovation through the inquiry process. They then completed a guide stating the spark, how the invention works and the impact it will have. Students presented their innovation at a schoolwide Innovation Fair held for families.
Innovation
2nd Grade
Final Product
Students created an innovation through the inquiry process. They then completed a guide stating the spark, how the invention works and the impact it will have. Students presented their innovation at a schoolwide Innovation Fair held for families.
Additional Info
Barbara Mastin from Deerfield Public Schools District 109: IL, 2nd Grade
Using the Inquiry process, students decided to make a cookbook using a family recipe that represented their cultural background. Students cooked the dish at home; many students took pictures of themselves preparing it and included it in the cookbook. Cookbooks were shared with students and their families.
Global Connections
3rd Grade
Final Product
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Using the Inquiry process, students decided to make a cookbook using a family recipe that represented their cultural background. Students cooked the dish at home; many students took pictures of themselves preparing it and included it in the cookbook. Cookbooks were shared with students and their families.
Additional Info
Barbara Mastin from Deerfield Public Schools District 109: IL, 3rd Grade
Students painted self portraits and filled in hearts with pictures and words to show themselves on the outside and inside.
My Team and Self
Kindergarten
Wall Display
Students painted self portraits and filled in hearts with pictures and words to show themselves on the outside and inside.
Additional Info
Jennie Greene from Skokie District 68: IL, Kindergarten
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