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.

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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.

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

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

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Final Product

My students' study on the Three Branches of Government, their rights and responsibilities at home and at school, and a project that connected to Black History Month were all placed on our Inquiry wall. Throughout the lessons, the students have been extremely engaged and have had meaningful conversations. They are starting to identify the patterns of injustice that people encountered during this period and draw connection between significant events. As students investigate how people collaborated to bring about change, their empathy and comprehension have grown, which has been encouraging.

Unit

The 20th Century Civil Rights Movement

Grade

3rd Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

My students' study on the Three Branches of Government, their rights and responsibilities at home and at school, and a project that connected to Black History Month were all placed on our Inquiry wall. Throughout the lessons, the students have been extremely engaged and have had meaningful conversations. They are starting to identify the patterns of injustice that people encountered during this period and draw connection between significant events. As students investigate how people collaborated to bring about change, their empathy and comprehension have grown, which has been encouraging.

Additional Info

Gloria Navarrete Rodriguez from dpsk12.net: CO, 3rd Grade

Unit

The 20th Century Civil Rights Movement

Grade

3rd Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

Students created a Family Mobile to represent the members of their family.

Unit

Families Near and Far

Grade

1st Grade

Example Type

Final Product

Students created a Family Mobile to represent the members of their family.

Additional Info

Emily Hagan from , 1st Grade

Unit

Families Near and Far

Grade

1st Grade

Example Type

Final Product

These were in class worksheets and one exit ticket. The students are enjoying this unit.

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Handout

These were in class worksheets and one exit ticket. The students are enjoying this unit.

Additional Info

JENNIFER Baker from dpsk12.net: CO, 5th Grade

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Handout

We are piloting InquirED in my school district, and my partner and I are really enjoying this curriculum. We can't wait to share our positive feedback with other teachers in the district.

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

We are piloting InquirED in my school district, and my partner and I are really enjoying this curriculum. We can't wait to share our positive feedback with other teachers in the district.

Additional Info

from , 5th Grade

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

These murals were the result of the inquiry challenge statement: We will create a mural for our school community in order to inspire them to be kind

Unit

Meeting Needs and Wants

Grade

2nd Grade

Example Type

Final Product

These murals were the result of the inquiry challenge statement: We will create a mural for our school community in order to inspire them to be kind

Additional Info

Kathryn Nish from Pilgrim School: CA, 2nd Grade

Unit

Meeting Needs and Wants

Grade

2nd Grade

Example Type

Final Product

Infograph project on Canva.......half the class studied Plymouth and half the class studied Jamestown!

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

Infograph project on Canva.......half the class studied Plymouth and half the class studied Jamestown!

Additional Info

Melinda Sorensen from Frederic Schools: WI, 5th Grade

Unit

The Colonial Era

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Wall Display

They are examining the entry to Ellis Island!

Unit

My Team and Self

Grade

3rd Grade

Example Type

Other

They are examining the entry to Ellis Island!

Additional Info

Yolanda Lee from San Francisco Unified School District: CA, 3rd Grade

Unit

My Team and Self

Grade

3rd Grade

Example Type

Other

Estamos trabajando en la unidad de territorio a Estado Dorado.

Unit

Our State and Region

Grade

4th Grade

Example Type

Anchor Chart

Estamos trabajando en la unidad de territorio a Estado Dorado.

Additional Info

Olga Velasco from Rio School District: CA, 4th Grade

Unit

Our State and Region

Grade

4th Grade

Example Type

Anchor Chart

These pictures show different reflection cards that students completed with our essential question of "How can we help tell the story of our state?" Additionally, we explored the question of "How is the struggle for freedom a part of our story?" We pushed to model and simplify these questions being asked via discussion so that their cards had a clear connection. Students did have the freedom, however, to choose from various historical events.

Unit

Our State and Region

Grade

4th Grade

Example Type

Handout

These pictures show different reflection cards that students completed with our essential question of "How can we help tell the story of our state?" Additionally, we explored the question of "How is the struggle for freedom a part of our story?" We pushed to model and simplify these questions being asked via discussion so that their cards had a clear connection. Students did have the freedom, however, to choose from various historical events.

Additional Info

Paul Han from Next Generation School: IL, 4th Grade

Unit

Our State and Region

Grade

4th Grade

Example Type

Handout

I teach 4 sections of 5th grade Social Studies and this is my first year in this position. Although higher order thinking can be a challenge, my students have accepted the challenge and continue to show me how effective and engaging the inquirED curriculum is. I enjoy looking back at the students' initial understanding at the beginning of each module compared to how much their thinking has grown in a few days or by the assessment checkpoints.

Unit

Native America

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Handout

I teach 4 sections of 5th grade Social Studies and this is my first year in this position. Although higher order thinking can be a challenge, my students have accepted the challenge and continue to show me how effective and engaging the inquirED curriculum is. I enjoy looking back at the students' initial understanding at the beginning of each module compared to how much their thinking has grown in a few days or by the assessment checkpoints.

Additional Info

Karlie Goldstine from Allamakee Community School District: IA, 5th Grade

Unit

Native America

Grade

5th Grade

Example Type

Handout

The inquiry unit on My Team and Self gave students the opportunity to notice their own strengths before sharing a classmate's strenghts. Together they celebrated eachother and learned all about the importance of teamwork.

Unit

My Team and Self

Grade

Kindergarten

Example Type

Handout

The inquiry unit on My Team and Self gave students the opportunity to notice their own strengths before sharing a classmate's strenghts. Together they celebrated eachother and learned all about the importance of teamwork.

Additional Info

Mamie Pepper from Alta Vista School: CA, Kindergarten

Unit

My Team and Self

Grade

Kindergarten

Example Type

Handout

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Experience a Lesson

K-2 core ELA and social studies in one block

Inkwell is a K-2 core curriculum that integrates ELA and social studies into one cohesive instructional block. Experience a lesson live with the team behind the curriculum, see exactly how it runs, and bring the questions you'd ask if you were piloting it in your district next year.

Request more information

About Inkwell

K-2 core ELA and social studies in one, 70-minute instructional block.

Inkwell is an inquiry-based HQIM for both ELA and social studies, designed so each subject strengthens the other. Students develop their literacy by reading, writing, and discussing within sustained social studies investigations.

  • Supports mastery of ELA and social studies standards in one block
  • Grounded in the Science of Reading
  • Embeds explicit writing instruction in daily lessons
  • Builds knowledge through content-rich social studies investigations
  • Connects and deepens learning through inquiry

Learn more >>

Save time

Inkwell’s 70-minute block replaces two separate ELA and social studies blocks. Teachers no longer have to choose between ELA and social studies, and the time they get back goes to foundational skills, math, and intervention.

Deepen comprehension

Inkwell’s integrated design develops the background knowledge and academic vocabulary comprehension depends on. And, each unit students apply that knowledge to a new text, task or idea to deepen comprehension and extend their learning.

Give writing purpose

Inkwell writing starts with explicit daily instruction and asks students to use writing to make meaning of texts. Then, it asks students to go one step further and use the knowledge they’ve built as evidence for a broader disciplinary idea.

"Students actually are engaged, actually have a smile. It brought tears to my eyes because I'm like, this is what school looks like."

Yasmin, First Grade Inkwell Teacher, NJ

"I think that's the first time I've ever seen everyone — including my [multilingual] kids — understand every single part of a book from a whole-class read-aloud, the first time, without extra prompting."

Talia, First Grade Inkwell Teacher, NJ

What happens in this session

01

One lesson we'll go through from start to finish.

Watch how an integrated ELA and social studies block lets students read, write, and discuss around a single anchor idea.

02

Where the integration happens.

See what makes this different from a traditional ELA program that only adds in social studies topics: the texts, the writing tasks, the social studies and ELA standards that build comprehension and knowledge at the same time.

03

The K-2 design choices.

We'll walk through language comprehension, vocabulary development, and structured discussion behind the lesson, and explain the K-2 design choices we made and why.

FAQ

Who is this session for?

Curriculum leaders, instructional coaches, principals, and teachers evaluating an elementary ELA and/or social studies curriculum. We designed these sessions for leaders making purchasing decisions, but classroom teachers are welcome.

How long is the session?

60 minutes: 30 minutes inside the lesson, 20 minutes of debrief, and 10 minutes for Q&A.

Do I need to prep anything?

No. Show up with a notebook (paper or digital) and a willingness to be a student for a half hour.

Will my district's content be shared?

No. Other registrants will see your name and district in the participant list. We don't record sessions.

Is there a recording if I can't make it?

We don't record — the value is in the live experience. If none of the dates work, request a 1:1 walkthrough and we'll set one up with your team.

Contact us

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