Cal Poly Pomona • Teacher Education
EDU 5120 • Elementary Social Science
Literature StudyInquiry AssignmentUnit Plan
Major Assignment

Focused Inquiry Assignment

Develop an inquiry lesson aligned to your Unit Plan. Build a focused question, select and scaffold sources, help students use evidence, and plan how they will synthesize and communicate conclusions.

Major Assignment

Inquiry Assignment

Develop a lesson that applies inquiry-based learning. Your topic should align with your Unit Plan because this inquiry will become part of the Developing Content, Concepts, and Skills section of that larger unit.

Begin with a focused inquiry question. Gather 3 to 4 sources, including at least one primary source. Plan how students will read and process those sources at an appropriate grade level, draw evidence from them, synthesize that evidence, and communicate an evidence-based conclusion or take informed action.

1

Focus the inquiry

Identify the grade level, standard, topic, and a focused inquiry question that will organize student research.

2

Select meaningful sources

Choose 3 to 4 sources, including at least one primary source, that can provide evidence students need to answer the question.

3

Scaffold reading and processing

Describe how students will make sense of each source through strategies such as close reading, text-dependent questions, note-taking, collaborative conversation, charting, modeling, or historian's tools.

4

Draw evidence

Plan questions, worksheets, or graphic organizers that help students extract evidence connected directly to the inquiry question.

5

Synthesize and communicate

Decide how students will bring evidence together, develop an evidence-based response, and communicate conclusions or take informed action.

What the rubric rewards

Overview and Focused Inquiry Question, 3 points
A clear title, standards, overview, and question that focuses student research.

Use of Sources in Instruction and Evidence, 4 points
Sources are described, students are supported in processing them, evidence is connected to the inquiry question, and supporting questions or organizers are included.

Synthesis of Evidence and Conclusions, 3 points
Students bring evidence together, communicate what they learned in writing or through informed action, and use appropriate supports to organize or present findings.

Inquiry Lesson Builder

Use this workspace to prepare your thinking before completing the official Inquiry Worksheet.

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Step 1 of 714%

1. Unit, grade, standard, and topic

Anchor this inquiry in the same topic and standard you plan to use in your Unit Plan.

2. Focused Inquiry Question and overview

What will students investigate, and what question will focus their research?

3. Select 3 to 4 sources

Include at least one primary source. Briefly describe each source and why it can contribute useful evidence.

4. Scaffold reading and processing

Describe, do not simply list, how you will help students read and process each source. Consider close reading, text-dependent questions, note-taking, collaborative conversations, charting, modeling, and historian's tools.

5. Help students draw evidence

For each source, what questions, worksheets, or graphic organizers will help students identify evidence related to the inquiry question?

6. Synthesize the evidence

How will students bring evidence from the sources together to respond to the Focused Inquiry Question?

For primary grades, this may include dictation, drawing, sentence frames, or other developmentally appropriate supports.

7. Conclusions and informed action

How will students communicate their conclusions? Will the audience extend beyond the classroom? Is there an opportunity for informed action?

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