What is inquiry and what role does it play in civil discourse? Through a robust inquiry model, students activate conceptual knowledge of a topic such as factions, segregation, compromise, and membership. They build background knowledge and generate questions using podcasts, videos, and varied whole-group and small-group opportunities. Supported by close reading strategies, they deepen their knowledge through multiple reads of primary sources and prepare for one or more discourse models. After participating in civil discourses, students reflect on their new understandings of the concept, history, constitutional principles, themselves, and each other. They have opportunities to extend their learning individually and with their peers.

Pique student interest and get them personally involved in the lesson by accessing prior knowledge and generating interest. Set parameters to the inquiry.

Participants begin discovering the answer to inquiry questions for themselves, experiencing key concepts, engaging with new skills, probing experiences, and examining thinking while accessing sources such as documents, visuals, videos, and other media. This is not a gradual release but rather participants enter into inquiry as primary means of orienting to the questions.

Use questioning strategies to lead students’ discussion of information discovered, connect prior knowledge and background to new discoveries, and communicate new understandings. Students should own the explanations during this phase.

Extend and deepen learning through civil discourse. Apply learning to new contexts.

Participants demonstrate their understanding of the concept and/or skills aligned to the objective(s) and inquiry questions and engage in reflection about the learning they participated in during the discourse.