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Inquiry Design Model for SS Lesson Plan Tool

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Inquiry Design Model for SS Lesson Plan Tool

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Navigation Links: How do I create my own interesting Inquiry Design Model (IDM) lesson plan for Social Studies? You're currently a social studies teacher looking for a way for your students to learn the content in a very interesting way, but doing lecture, secondary source readings, and document analysis over and over is not working out the way you had planned.

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What are the guiding principles?

The C3 is driven by the following shared principles about high quality social studies education:

Social studies prepares the nation's young people for college, careers, and civic life.

Inquiry is at the heart of social studies.

Social studies involves interdisciplinary applications and welcomes integration of the arts and humanities.

Social studies is composed of deep and enduring understandings, concepts, and skills from the disciplines. Social studies emphasizes skills and practices as preparation for democratic decision-making.

Social studies education should have direct and explicit connections to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.

What are the instructional shifts for social studies?

The C3 Framework, like the Common Core State Standards, emphasizes the acquisition and application of knowledge to prepare students for college, career, and civic life. It intentionally envisions social studies instruction as an inquiry arc of interlocking and mutually reinforcing elements that speak to the intersection of ideas and learners. The Four Dimensions highlighted below center on the use of questions to spark curiosity, guide instruction, deepen investigations, acquire rigorous content, and apply knowledge and ideas in real world settings to become active and engaged citizens in the 21st century.

C3 Framework Organization

Dimension 1: Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries

Dimension 2: Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts

Dimension 3: Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action

Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries

Civics

Gathering and Evaluating Sources

Communicating and Critiquing Conclusions

Geography

Developing Claims and Using Evidence

Taking Informed Action

Connections to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies

The C3 Framework changes the conversation about literacy instruction in social studies by creating a context that is meaningful and purposeful. Reading, writing, speaking and listening and language skills are critically important for building disciplinary literacy and the skills needed for college, career, and civic life. Each of the Four Dimensions are strategically aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies.

Why do we need the C3 Framework?

There are a number of motivating factors that inspired this work:

Marginalization of the Social Studies - The loss of instructional time at the elementary level and the narrowing of instruction in response to multiple-choice, high-stakes testing has significantly impacted time, resources, and support for the social studies. The introduction of the Common Core provided an opportunity for social studies educators to re-frame instruction to promote disciplinary literacy in social studies in such a way as to allow social studies to regain a more balanced and elevated role in the K-12 curriculum.

Motivation of Students - Children and adolescents are naturally curious about the complex and multifaceted world they inhabit. But they quickly become disengaged when instruction is limited to reading textbooks to answer end-of-chapter questions and taking multiple-choice tests that may measure content knowledge but do little to measure how knowledge is meaningful and applicable in the real world. The C3 Framework addresses this issue in fundamental ways.

The Future of Our Democracy - Abundant research bears out the sad reality that fewer and fewer young people, particularly students of color and students in poverty, are receiving a high quality social studies education, despite the central role of social studies in preparing students for the responsibilities of citizenship. Active and responsible citizens are able to identify and analyze public problems, deliberate with other people about how to define and address issues, take constructive action together, reflect on their actions, create and sustain groups, and influence institutions both large and small. They vote, serve on juries when called, follow the news and current events, and participate in voluntary groups and efforts. Implementing the C3 Framework to teach students to be able to act in these ways-as citizens-significantly enhances preparation for college and career.

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College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards

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The C3 is driven by the following shared principles about high quality social studies education:

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State of MI K-12 Social Studies Standards

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State of MI K-12 Social Studies Standards

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I came across your site while researching to update and improve my U.S. History classes. I was amazed at the quality of the lessons present here and will use them frequently in my classes.

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I came across your site while researching to update and improve my U.S. History classes. I was amazed at the quality of the lessons present here and will use them frequently in my classes.

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New York Social Studies Toolkit Inquiries

The Toolkit features 84 curriculum inquiries, six per grade level K-11, and twelve in grade 12 (six for Economics and six for Participation in Government).

All of the 84 inquiries within the New York State Toolkit were built using the Inquiry Design Model and feature a blueprint with a description of how the inquiry might be taught. All of the inquiries connected to key ideas, conceptual understandings, content specifications, and social studies practices found in the New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework. Although the inquiries align with standards, they are not intended to be comprehensive content units, nor are they intended to be a series of prescribed lesson plans. They are intended to serve as pedagogically rich examples content and skills built out in inquiry-based fashion. See all 84 inquiries below. Browse the Inquiries by Grade Band Here.

Toolkit Conceptual Foundations

Undergirding the New York Social Studies Toolkit project in general and the curriculum inquiries in particular are a set of 10 assumptions.

These Conceptual Foundations describe the principles that informed the design of Toolkit inquires and the Inquiry Design Model (IDM). Rooted in research and practice and reflecting the Inquiry Arc of the C3 Framework, these assumptions offer a coherent and mutually reinforcing set of ideas that define the often nebulous term "inquiry." The assumptions are:

1. Inquiry begins with a question.

2. Inquiry topics and outcomes are grounded in the New York State Social Studies Framework.

3. Disciplinary knowledge and skills are integrated within an inquiry.

4. Students are active learners within an inquiry.

5. The purpose of assessment is for learning.

6. Disciplinary sources are the building blocks of inquiry.

7. Students need opportunities to practice engaged citizenship.

8. Social studies shares in the responsibility for literacy.

9. Inquiries are not all inclusive.

10. Inquiries are best mediated by skilled teachers.

Toolkit Professional Development Materials

The New York Toolkit Project approach to professional learning recognizes the complexities of designing inquiry activities and then teaching those inquiries in the classroom.

Complementing the Toolkit Inquiries and Conceptual Foundations is a collection of turnkey professional learning materials that introduces educators to the C3 Framework and the Inquiry Design Model. These materials feature PowerPoint slide decks and related materials that are organized around three parts of the Inquiry Design Model - Questions, Tasks, and Sources. The four slide decks available here are annotated to provide facilitators with the information they need to conduct the professional learning activities.
Download the Toolkit IDM slides below.

Toolkit Video Series

Created in collaboration with the Tribeca Film Institute, the Toolkit Video Series features the Kathy Swan, SG Grant, and John Lee along authors of our writing team and teachers who helped bring the project to life. The videos speak to the several elements of the Inquiry Design Model in general and three key elements in particular: Questions,Argumentation, and Taking Informed Action. The films feature insight from teachers about using inquiry with students in their classrooms and background on IDM in general and the Toolkit project in particular.

An Introduction to the Toolkit

The C3 Framework provided the inspiration for the New York Social Studies Toolkit Project and has set in motion a grassroots movement to put teachers at the forefront of social studies reform. This video introduces the Toolkit project.

Questions

Social studies is many things, but at its heart are questions. The Inquiry Design Model™ (IDM) represented in the New York Social Studies Toolkit begins with a compelling question and features the elements necessary to support students as they address that question in a thoughtful and informed fashion. This video describes the role of questions in an inquiry.

Argumentation

Inquiries lead to arguments. Using the Inquiry Design Model and social studies content, teachers can design students' work with sources across all four dimensions of the C3 Inquiry Arc so that they can produce a clear, coherent, and evidence-based argument as the summative performance task. This video describes how teachers support students as they develop inquiry-based arguments.

Taking Informed Action

Taking Informed Action tasks are designed so that students can civically engage with the content of an inquiry. Informed action can take numerous forms (e.g., discussions, debates, presentations) and can occur in a variety of contexts both inside and outside of the classroom. The key to any action, however, is the idea that it is informed. The Inquiry Design Model™, therefore, stages the taking informed action activities such that students build their knowledge and understanding of an issue before engaging in any social action. This final video features teachers describing how taking informed action completes the Inquiry Arc.

The New York Social Studies Resource Toolkit is a curriculum and instructional resource that builds out from the recently released New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework. Featuring an ambitious new approach to constructing social studies curriculum inquiries, the Inquiry Design Model (IDM), the Toolkit emphasizes the role of teacher knowledge and expertise. Funded and sponsored by the New York State Education Department, the direct work on the Toolkit project finished 2015. Implementation of the Toolkit materials are ongoing.
Check out some the ongoing work in Rockland County Schools
The New York State K-12 Resource Toolkit and Professional Development project, funded by a grant from the New York State Education Department, is the result of the efforts of nearly 100 educators from around New York State and across the country.

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The Toolkit features 84 curriculum inquiries, six per grade level K-11, and twelve in grade 12 (six for Economics and six for Participation in Government). All of the 84 inquiries within the New York State Toolkit were built using the Inquiry Design Model and feature a blueprint with a description of how the inquiry might be taught.

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Teaching Hard History Inquiry Design Models

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Effective social studies instruction animates content by teaching through inquiry. The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards outlines a structure for how to do this: the Inquiry Design Model (IDM). This curricular approach integrates the four dimensions of the C3 Inquiry Arc:

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A Guided Approach to Historical Inquiry in the K-12 Classroom

What is a History Lab?

In this video students and teachers describe the benefits of History Labs. Their enthusiasm speaks volumes about how the History Labs approach increases student engagement, promotes critical reading and thinking skills, and leads to thoughtful, persuasive writing assignments.

A preponderance of research in the field of history education has demonstrated that effective teaching of the subject relies on active student learning of the reading, writing and analytical skills involved in historical inquiry. By actively investigating the past, rather than passively memorizing ready-made facts or accounts assembled by others, students strengthen their critical reading and writing skills, and improve their ability to handle and retain vital content information. They also develop a sense of control and ownership of the knowledge they assemble that fosters genuine and lasting interest in the subject.

"It's...like I am standing near that person as they are talking or writing."
-Student

Read about the History Labs process and watch as students and teachers demonstrate its effectiveness in the classroom. Explore the History Labs that are available for elementary, middle and high school.

Further reading:

The Challenge of Rethinking History Education: On Practices, Theories, and Policy, by Bruce VanSledright. Routledge, 2010

Doing History: Investigating With Children in Elementary and Middle Schools, by Linda S. Levstik and Keith C. Barton. Routledge, 2010

Reading Like a Historian: Teaching Literacy in Middle and High School History Classrooms, by Sam Wineburg, Daisy Martin and Chauncey Monte-Sano. Teachers College Press, 2012

Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History Instruction, by Nikki Mandell and Bobbie Malone. Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2008

"Why Won't You Just Tell Us the Answer?" Teaching Historical Thinking in Grades 7-12, by Bruce A. Lesh. Stenhouse Publishers, 2011

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In this video students and teachers describe the benefits of History Labs. Their enthusiasm speaks volumes about how the History Labs approach increases student engagement, promotes critical reading and thinking skills, and leads to thoughtful, persuasive writing assignments.

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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of campaign finance by examining election costs, expenditures, and the complex relationships between candidates and political-action committees. By investigating the compelling question "Does money matter in political campaigns?" students dissect contemporary political campaigns in order to assess whether or not campaign-finance reform should take place.

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OER Project's free, online social studies and world history curricula are aligned to state standards and develop key historical thinking skills.

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MI Open Books have been written and created by Michigan teachers as part of the TRIG grant. During the 2014-15 School Year, 4 titles were released. During the 2015-16 school year, we are developing titles for 3rd Grade Michigan Studies, 7th Grade Ancient World, 8th Grade United States, HS United States, and HS Civics. The MI Open Book resources listed below are all in PDF format. To access the digial source files that will allow you to revise and remix the content, please visit the MI Open Book Project site here. In order to access the source files you will have to verify that you have participated in a brief course on copyright through EduPaths as well as complete a form that tells the EduPaths team the name of your district, the device on which you will be editing the source files, and what device students will use to access materials. When downloading the source files please know that these are large zipped files (can be 1 GB or larger) which contain editable PDFs, Word documents, iBooks Author files (.iba) and widget source files (hype format).

Created with support from Ottawa Area ISD, these resources provide added support for teachers using the Mi Open Books.
GIANTS website

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MI Open Books have been written and created by Michigan teachers as part of the TRIG grant. During the 2014-15 School Year, 4 titles were released. During the 2015-16 school year, we are developing titles for 3rd Grade Michigan Studies, 7th Grade Ancient World, 8th Grade United States, HS United States, and HS Civics.

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3-10-15 Introduction to C3Framework for Educators

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Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action

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6-10-15 Teaching Argument Writing in the Social Studies Classroom

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English Learners-Native Speakers Cruz Thornton

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Building Literacy in Elementary Social Studies

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C3 Framework-- Why Vote?  5th Graders Take Informed Action

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Please MAKE A COPY for your own personal version of the note guide.

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Intro to C3 Framework: 1/2 Day Session NOTES

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