The Inquiry Design Model™ (IDM) is a unique approach to instruction based on an inquiry arc, as laid out in the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework. Although challenging for both teachers and students, IDMs offer a means for authentic and well-informed student participation on issues that are relevant to kids today. As more and more teachers are becoming familiar with IDMs, they are finding that investing in inquiry in the classroom creates independent learners who engage with material rather than reliant students who receive information.
More wide-ranging than a single lesson but less comprehensive than a unit, each "Moose" IDM poses a compelling question from New Hampshire state history that continues to impact the world around us. Three supporting questions guide students in gathering evidence, usually from primary sources. Performance tasks associated with the supporting questions help students analyze the information from the sources to assist them in completing the summative task, which addresses the compelling question. Students can then take informed action in their own communities.
The IDMs in “Moose on the Loose” are designed for upper elementary classrooms but can easily be scaled up for higher grades. Each IDM contains an educator’s guide with additional instructions and contextual information on the relevant topic.