Inquiry-Based Unit Plan

Major Assignment • 30 points

History-Social Studies Inquiry-Based Unit Plan

Research, plan, develop, and write an inquiry-based instructional unit grounded in a California History-Social Science standard and California Common Core State Standards for Language Arts. Inquiry should organize the unit rather than appear as a single isolated lesson.

Your Literature Study and Inquiry Assignment become required components of the larger unit, especially within Developing Content, Concepts, and Skills. The goal is a coherent sequence in which students build knowledge, investigate meaningful questions, use disciplinary skills, communicate conclusions, and have opportunities for informed action.

Official Unit Plan Directions ↗

Think of the unit as a coherent story

A strong unit begins with standards, a rationale, and compelling questions. It prepares students for inquiry, develops content and disciplinary thinking through varied learning experiences, and ends with authentic communication, assessment, and informed action.

Important: The final plan must include your focused inquiry, literature-based activity, geography, civics, economics, historical thinking, technology, family or community involvement, ELA/ELD practice, and at least two cross-curricular integrated activities.

View Unit Plan Rubric • 30 points

Criterion	What the rubric emphasizes	Points
Title and Standards	Unit title, grade level, California Framework connection, verbatim H-SS standards, H-SS analysis skills, and unit themes.	5 pts
Overview and Questions	A clear overview and rationale, one compelling question, and 2 to 5 supporting questions that organize inquiry and build toward conclusions and informed action.	5 pts
Beginning the Unit	Preparation that builds background knowledge and curiosity, a strong opening hook, and explicit connections to students' lives.	2 pts
Developing Content, Concepts and Skills	Detailed teacher and student actions, focused inquiry with primary source evidence, literature, geography, civics, economics, historical thinking, technology, family/community involvement, ELA/ELD practice, and cross-curricular integration.	10 pts
Culminating the Unit and Assessment	Students communicate conclusions about the compelling question to an authentic audience, consider informed action, and demonstrate learning through meaningful assessment. Include a rubric or scoring guide for one activity.	4 pts
Appendix, Diversity, and Organization	Complete student materials and sourced primary documents, support for culturally and linguistically diverse learners, inclusive and equitable strategies, logical sequence, mechanics, organization, and appropriate sourcing.	4 pts

Interactive Unit Plan Builder

Use this workspace to think through each part of the official assignment before transferring your work into the required Unit Plan document.

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Step 1 of 911%

1. Title, framework, standards, skills, and themes

Establish the disciplinary foundation for the unit. Use the official standards and framework language where the directions require it.

Title of unit

Grade level

California History-Social Studies Framework connectionWhere is the topic addressed in the Framework? Summarize the connection in a short paragraph.

California History-Social Science standard(s), verbatim

History-Social Science Analysis SkillsConsider Chronological and Spatial Thinking, Research, Evidence and Point of View, and Historical Interpretation.

Unit theme(s)Use NCSS themes, Doing History, or the California Framework.

2. Overview, rationale, and inquiry questions

Overview and rationaleWhat will students learn, and why do they need to learn it?

Compelling QuestionWrite one broad, thought-provoking question that gives direction to the unit and invites argument, interpretation, or application of disciplinary concepts.

Supporting Questions, 2 to 5Use questions that build the content, concepts, and skills students need to address the Compelling Question.

3. Prepare students and begin the unit

Plan how students will enter the inquiry with enough background knowledge, curiosity, and personal connection to care about the questions.

Preparing students, background knowledge, and curiosityHow will you orient students, tap prior knowledge and perceptions, and create curiosity, doubt, disequilibrium, purpose, or ownership?

Beginning the unit, your hook

Making connections to students' livesBe specific about the questions, examples, experiences, or issues that make the content relevant.

4. Develop content, concepts, and skills

Describe what the teacher will do and what students will do. Activities should deliberately build toward the Supporting and Compelling Questions.

Core instructional activities and strategiesDescribe the sequence in enough detail that another teacher could understand how learning develops.

Focused Inquiry Assignment integrationInclude the inquiry with at least one primary source and the other resources students will use.

Literature Study integrationExplain where the literature-based activity belongs in the unit and what it contributes.

5. Required disciplinary and real-world experiences

The final unit must demonstrate breadth across the social sciences and meaningful connections beyond the textbook.

Geography-based activity

Civics-based activity

Economics-based activity

Historical thinking-based activity

Technology-based activity

Family or community involvement

6. Literacy, cross-curricular integration, and access

ELA/ELD Common Core standards and literacy practicesELA/ELD practice should occur in context as students work toward the unit questions, not as isolated language exercises.

Cross-curricular integrated activity 1 and standards

Cross-curricular integrated activity 2 and standards

Support for culturally and linguistically diverse students and students with diverse learning needsConsider English learners, special needs, learning differences, inclusivity, equity, and cultural responsiveness.

7. Culminate the unit and take informed action

How will students communicate conclusions about the Compelling Question?Plan an authentic audience, meaningful choices, and ways students can demonstrate learning through projects, presentations, performances, or other products.

What informed action can students take?What can students do now that they have developed knowledge and conclusions through the unit?

8. Assessment and evidence of learning

Expected student outcomesWhat will students be able to do at the conclusion of the unit?

Activities to be assessed and how each will be assessedUse varied, meaningful, and authentic performance-based measures when appropriate.

Rubric or scoring guide for one activityIdentify what the rubric will assess, especially the social studies content, concepts, and skills.

9. Appendix, organization, and final review

Appendix materials checklist and notesInclude numbered and referenced student materials, worksheets, graphic organizers, maps, photos, background materials, and primary source documents with source annotations.

Sequence, organization, mechanics, and sourcing reviewCheck for logical progression from engagement to instruction to application, clear writing, organization, and appropriate sourcing.

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