Chapter 3: The Inquiry Design Model

The Inquiry Design Model (IDM) is a distinctive approach to creating instructional materials that honors teachers’ knowledge and expertise, avoids over-prescription, and focuses on the key elements envisioned in the Inquiry Arc of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for State Social Studies Standards (NCSS, 2013). Unique to the IDM is the blueprint, a one-page presentation of the questions, tasks, and sources that define an inquiry. The blueprint offers a visual snapshot of an entire inquiry such that the individual components and the relationship among the components can all be seen at once.

Although 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 of content and skills built out in inquiry-based fashion. As such, they focus on the following elements necessary to support students as they address a compelling question using disciplinary sources in a thoughtful and informed fashion:

• Compelling Question (frame the inquiry);

• Staging the Compelling Question tasks (create interest in the inquiry);

• Supporting Questions (develop the key content);

• Formative Performance Tasks (demonstrate emerging understandings);

• Featured Sources (provide opportunities to generate curiosity, build knowledge, and construct arguments);

• Summative Performance Tasks (demonstrate evidence-based arguments);

• Summative Extensions (offer assessment flexibility); and

• Taking Informed Action exercises (promote opportunities for civic engagement).