Teachers across the nation and world are experimenting with inquiry-driven pedagogy like Project Based Learning to improve student learning. Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. PBL is an effective and enjoyable way to learn and allows deeper content and skill development that is needed for success in college, career and civic life.

The study of famous Americans has been a long-accepted approach in teaching elementary students about the history of the United States. The first grade unit we describe here, Inspiring Americans, supports the four dimensions of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework,

Pre-service teachers in a social studies methods course designed to address issues of inequity and privilege, engaged elementary students in a ten-week inquiry project. Based on this project, this article shares insights about the processes involved in enacting justice-focused pedagogy.

The inquiry-based materials and audio interviews of Korean War veterans highlighted in this article offer an excellent entry point into a lesson on the “forgotten” war and its legacy.65281"

Students’ investigation into the 1961 Supreme Court case that addressed desegregation efforts in New York can be a springboard into research into the desegregated status of their own local schools

The examination of the two featured pages of a 1921 House anti-lynching report can facilitate an engaging inquiry into the continued absence of a federal lynching law as well as historical efforts by lawmakers and civic groups to promote justice and change.

A classroom exploration of the basics of impeachment can serve as a launching pad into a lesson on constitutional checks-and-balances.

Examining the featured political cartoons offers students an opportunity to analyze myths about immigration and to consider ways that politicians have historically used nativist sentiments for political gain.

Role-play in the classroom that avoids mimicking, caricaturing, or minimizing events in history can broaden students’ understanding of the complexities of the world.