Middle Level Learning, May/June 2025

Exploring the Kingdom of Aksum

Plus: Making Inquiry Local

National Council for the Social Studies Number 83 May/June 2025 www.socialstudies.org

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Exploring the Kingdom of Aksum: An Inquiry-Based Approach Cindy Ann Coe I first learned about Aksum, the East African empire originally founded in the first century, after moving to a new state and taking a position teaching sixth-grade social studies. Until then, I had taught grades eight through eleven, so adjusting to a new curriculum, new standards, and younger students with less experience in inquiry and research was a significant shift for me.

Since inquiry projects are central to my teaching, I sought a lesser-known civilization for my students to investigate and found an article about a “lost town” in Africa regarding a highly inf luential yet

Map 1. The Aksum Empire.

often overlooked empire.1 From there, I dug deeper, finding photos of artifacts, maps, and text that could be adapted for sixth grade. The result was a sixthgrade inquiry project rich in engagement, questioning, and new perspectives on African history. Aksum’s unique history and underrepresentation in traditional curricula make it an ideal topic for an inquiry-based social studies project. Studying the Aksum Empire is also a step toward creating a more inclusive curriculum on the contributions of the African continent.

South of Egypt, along the Red Sea, Aksum or, in modern spelling, Axum, was located in what is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea (see Map 1 at left). It developed into an influential kingdom with an extensive trade network between the first and seventh centuries, C.E. People from Egypt, Greece, Rome, South Asia, and Arabia visited its shores to trade or to migrate there.

Its geographical location was an important intersection between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, with the Red Sea offering a prime trading port named Adulis.

Adulis was a market for spices, ivory, papyrus, and gold, as well as being a market for enslaved people.2 This kingdom developed Ge’ez, one of Africa’s oldest scripts, and minted its own coinage. One of its kings adopted Christianity and welcomed missionaries into his cities.

Including content on Aksum in the classroom provides a more complete picture of ancient civilizations during this time period. As the British Museum notes, Aksum provides a counterpoint to the Greek and Roman worlds, and is an interesting example of a sub-Saharan civilization

ON THE COVER: A map of the Aksum Empire. Inset: Sixth-grade students in Scottsdale, Arizona, examine aspects of Aksum prior to filling out a graphic organizer. (Photo by Payton Morgan).

2 May/June 2025

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Map 2. Aksum's trade network.

flourishing towards the end of the period of the great Mediterranean empires. It provides a link between the trading systems of the Mediterranean and the Asiatic world, and shows the extent of international commerce at that time. It holds the fascination of being a “lost” civilization, yet one that was African, Christian, with its own script, coinage, and international reputation.3 Aksum’s extensive trade network connected the Mediterranean, Red Sea (see Map 2 above, left), and Indian Ocean, facilitating the exchange of people and ideas between Greece, Rome, and the Arabian Peninsula. The port of Adulis was so prominent that it was mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a first-century sailor’s manual.4 Archaeological finds in Beta Semati, near the capital, include amphoras from Jordan, glass beads from the Mediterranean, and Roman pottery.5 Aksum’s proximity to gold and salt also elevated the status and wealth of the kingdom.

Aksum’s prime location, temperate climate, and access to potable water enabled its people to cultivate cereals and raise livestock. Archaeologists have unearthed large buildings with extensive walls, including palaces and churches. The ruins of Dungur Palace (see image above, right) show evidence of food production, storage, bathing areas, and flowing water. Historians believe 3 May/June 2025

The ruins of Dungur Palace.

that the palace belonged to a noble family, but local folklore connects the palace to the Queen of Sheba.6 Visitors to Ethiopia can tour historical sites and hear stories about the religion and folklore connected to various ruins in the area.

Artifacts from Aksum demonstrate the society’s literacy and innovation. Perhaps the empire’s most famous artifacts are its giant stelae—stone pillars erected over royal tombs in the third and fourth centuries—the tallest being a 23-meter block of carved granite (see image on p. 4).7 Coins from the kingdom also show the transition to a Christian kingdom and reflect innovations in metal techniques. Gold coins were often inscribed in Greek and meant for trade, while silver and copper coins were inscribed in Ge’ez, the Aksumite script.8 Another important artifact is the fourth-century C.E. Ezana Stone, which records the accomplishments of King Ezana in three languages: Greek, Ge’ez, and Sabaean (see image on p. 4). It details his military campaigns, including defeating the Kingdom of Kush, and his conversion to Christianity.

The abundance of artifacts provides students with ample photos to study and reflect on as they develop their inquiry research on this kingdom.

Most standards and curricula on ancient civilizations include lessons on the spread of Christianity. Aksum became the first sub-Saharan African state to embrace Christianity when King Ezana was converted by an

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Stone pillars, like this 23-meter stelae, were erected over royal tombs.

The Ezana Stone, which records the accomplishments of King Ezana.

advisor from Lebanon, who became Aksum’s first bishop.9 The strong ties between the Christian Church and Ethiopian history include a mix of fact and folklore. According to Ethiopian tradition, the Ark of the Covenant—a sacred chest said to hold the Ten Commandments—was brought to Ethiopia, where a monk now guards it at the Chapel of the Tablet, hidden even from the high priest.10 Recent studies suggest Aksum’s leadership reflected a complex blend of government and religion, with a noble class acquiring luxury goods through international trade.11 Using the C3 Framework’s Inquiry Arc, I began by sparking student curiosity about exploring the archaeological ruins of an ancient society.12 I did not give my students the name of the society nor any maps or secondary sources on the topic. Instead, I gave students archaeological evidence as photos to create questions. First, I put up a photo on the screen of an ancient pendant (see image at right). I also handed out copies of the photo for students to examine at their tables. I described the pendant’s size and the indication of how it was worn in this society. I encouraged students to create their own questions about the pendant (Inquiry Arc, Dimension 1: Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries). Some of their questions included: What is the language on the pendant? Is that a cross? What was it made of?” Most curricula 4 May/June 2025

on ancient civilizations use a graphic organizer, such as the GRAPES framework (Geography, Religion, Achievements, Politics/Government, Economy, Social Structure), to help students identify key aspects of a culture as they analyze evidence (see sample on p.

5). Using the GRAPES framework, students wrote “pendant” as evidence of language and art.13 From there, I gave student groups photos of a different artifact, such as a ring, monument, or coins, so that each group could analyze the artifact and add to the evidence.

Using reciprocal teaching—first in small groups, then with the whole class—students gathered evidence on this civilization to build our collective understanding of its society.

Photo by Payton Morgan

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Sixth-grade students in Scottsdale, Ariz., examine an aspect of Aksum and fill out their graphic organizer section, before sharing what they learned.

Next, students moved through Dimension 2 of the Inquiry Arc (Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts). I revealed the name of the ancient society, Aksum (as well as the modern spelling of Axum), and directed students to the World Heritage site to see ruins of the ancient city. Students then developed additional questions for further research. After a group discussion on the evidence, our class chose to focus on “How does the Aksum empire contribute to our understanding of the Ancient world?” with subquestions such as “How did Aksum interact with other ancient societies?” and “What made Aksum different from neighboring civilizations?”

I then gave each group a modified secondary source— one or two paragraphs adapted for a sixth-grade level— focusing on a specific aspect of the Axumites, such as religion, political organization, trade, or language.

The class marked up their text and annotated along the side, where there was space to write questions and ideas. I provided additional photos, maps and other visuals to the groups. Each group was responsible for becoming experts in their topic so that they could teach the class about what they had learned. Students chose a key quote as evidence to copy to the GRAPES chart, which now was filled with evidence from multiple 5 May/June 2025

sources. Students took turns sharing their findings, leading the discussion while I facilitated the process. I trusted sixth graders to teach each other, intervening only to help with word definitions and pronunciation.

A key difference between my inquiry work with older students and my sixth graders was the level of support needed for research. I prepared sources in advance, breaking them into manageable sections. We discussed sourcing, and students recorded evidence along with its source (Dimension 3, Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence). I explained that their materials came from archaeology journals, National Geographic, and reliable news organizations. We also examined internet opinions on the Queen of Sheba’s connection to Aksum and the Ark of the Covenant, distinguishing between established facts and uncertain claims. While oral traditions are powerful, they don’t always have concrete evidence. Still, religion is crucial to understanding a culture, and Ethiopian Christians today fiercely protect the Ark and its story.

Through this process of inquiry, collecting evidence, and reciprocal teaching, my middle school students developed the disciplinary literacy skills that are needed for the study of history.14 National Geographic Education has an article on the Kingdom of Aksum

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

that can be adjusted online for specific grade levels (see resources sidebar on p. 6).15 PBS has a video on Aksum that matches well with middle school.16 I chose this as our last source to provide extra audio and visual learning and as a way to synthesize everything we had learned. Printing the text also allowed for annotation, and the GRAPES graphic organizer offered a way to organize their evidence in preparation for writing a summative assessment on our essential questions.

The summative assessment can take many forms, but I chose to have my students write an argumentative letter stating why Aksum should have a place in the sixth grade curriculum (Dimension 4, Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action). Students wrote with enthusiasm and agency. While their argumentative skills weren’t at a high school level, their critical thinking and historical reasoning were

evident—even among those who struggled with basic reading assignments. Our inquiry study led to high engagement, active participation, and summative writing that showcased critical thinking and historical evidence. In letter after letter, students brought up specific archaeological evidence that proved the importance and influence of this kingdom.

In “Teaching about African History and Cultures Across the Curriculum,” Weihe highlights the need to shift the study of Africa from the margins of history and expand discussion and study beyond enslavement and colonialism.17 African history and its ties to Europe and Asia deserve greater emphasis in curricula and state standards.

Classroom teachers are increasing their efforts to add African empires, including Aksum, into their continued on page 8

Key Resources World Heritage Site: Aksum https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/15 Leveled informational text National Geographic Education, “The Kingdom of Aksum,” https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/kingdomaksum/6th-grade Video links PBS,“The Aksum Kingdom: Trade and Ancient Africa,” https:// az.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/65020a47-68b4-457d-a4e70bf306450605/the-aksum-kingdom-trade-and-ancient-africa

Current event CNN, “Archeologists Unearth Lost Town from Little-known Ancient East African Empire,” www.cnn.com/2019/12/11/africa/ethiopiaburied-town-discovery-beta-samati-scn/index.html Museum connections The British Museum, “The Kingdom of Aksum,” https://smarthistory. org/the-kingdom-of-aksum Note: For additional free student and teacher resources email cindycoe@asu.edu.

BBC News Africa “The Rise Of Aksum - History Of Africa With Zeinab Badawi,” www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4OSEpexs_Q Primary source https://kwasikonadu.info, “Aksumite Trade and the Port of Adulis,” https://kwasikonadu.info/blog/2018/3/18/aksumite-trade-andthe-port-of-adulis Archaeological connections Archaeology Magazine, “Africa’s Merchant Kings,” https://archaeology.org/issues/july-august-2023/features/aksumethiopia-eritrea-kingdom

6 May/June 2025

Axumite coins

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Ancient Civilizations and State Standards Despite the abundance of archaeological evidence highlighting Aksum’s significance, its presence in educational standards remains limited. The National History Standards reference Aksum in World History Era 3, Standard 1C, which asks students to “Explain connections between maritime trade and the power of the kingdom of Aksum in Northeast Africa.”* Nevertheless, my 2024 research on grades 6-8 social studies standards in all 50 states revealed a continued focus on the well-known ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome, Greece, India and China, while 44 of the 50 states omitted Aksum entirely. For example, in New Jersey, the study of Era 3 includes a study of how “Classical civilizations (i.e., Greece, Rome, India and China) developed and expanded into empires of unprecedented size and diversity by creating centralized governments and promoting commerce, a common culture, and social values” (p.55). Another example is New Mexico, standard 6.34, “Evaluate the lasting impact of philosophy, art, science, and technology of Classical Greece, Rome, India, and China” (p. 40 ). Maryland standards require students to examine “social structures and belief systems in the early states of Greece, Rome, China, and Nubia/Egypt to compare how power is divided and maintained” (p. 13). State after state showed significant gaps, with no mention of Aksum.

Many states provide broad frameworks focused on world regions rather than specific civilizations. For example, South Carolina standard 6.2.CO directs students to “Compare the political systems within world civilizations … example, the political structure of the kingdoms in Asia and Africa” (p. 54), while Missouri’s standards ask students to “Analyze the culture of civilizations in sub-Saharan Africa, Mesoamerica, and Andean South America” (Theme 4D, p. 13). Some states, like Alabama and Colorado, mention “African Kingdoms” in their 6-8 standards but do not mention specific groups. Others, such as Washington, emphasize skills over content, encouraging students to “develop higher levels of critical thinking by considering why ancient civilizations developed, where and when they did, and why they declined” (p. 49). Even though most states omit Aksum in their standards, the NCSS inquiry

7 May/June 2025

arc fosters the critical thinking and primary source analysis that are essential to state curricula.

Conversely, six states mention Aksum in their grades 6–8 standards (see Table 1). Kansas and Michigan use the ancient spelling, while the other four use the modern spelling, Axum.

Florida and Massachusetts include Aksum in standards on Christianity’s spread, Michigan and Rhode Island in those on economy and trade, and Kansas in an appendix on ancient civilizations. Notably, Oregon added Aksum in multiple 2024 updates to expand coverage of historically underrepresented groups. Oregon 6/7.C.IR.6 states, “Describe the rights and roles of citizens in civilizations and empires to 900 CE, with attention to the inclusion of historically underrepresented groups and individuals, example Africa: Egypt, Axum & Kush.” (p. 49).

Middle school textbooks on ancient civilizations are making improvements by including more information on Aksum (or Axum) in their updated versions. The 2017 version of History Alive! The Ancient World by TCI does not include Aksum in the text, yet the recently updated 3rd edition ebook has a full page about Askum at the end of lesson 11. Despite calling Aksum “one of the greatest kingdoms of the ancient African world,” the publisher left Aksum in the periphery of study rather than integrating this kingdom into the body of the lesson. McGraw Hill has a short paragraph about the kingdom in its 2019 textbook for California, and then a few more sentences on the spread of Christianity to King Ezana (pp. 105, 411). However, McGraw Hill made improvements in the 2023 ebook, World History: Voices and Perspectives, with an entire lesson devoted to African Kingdoms. It includes a full page and map focusing on the trading empire of Axum (pp. 527, 534), as well as a newly-added slideshow of Axum monuments and ruins.

Five paragraphs on Aksum are included in Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Ancient Civilizations (2019) and the ebook World Civilizations (2020), at the end of lesson 5 after the study of Egypt and Kush. Though still on the periphery, textbook companies are increasingly including Aksum in updated editions. * UCLA, World History Standards, 1996, https://phi.history.ucla. edu/nchs/world-history-content-standards

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Table 1. State & National Standards (Grades 6-8) Referencing Aksum/Axum Florida

2023

p. 28

SS.6.W.3.18 Describe the rise and fall of the ancient east African kingdoms of Kush and Axum and Christianity’s development in Ethiopia.

Kansas

2020

p. 96

Middle Level Ancient World History (Appendix) Students should trace the advancement of civilizations and societies in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.... Ideas: Great Zimbabwe, Bantu Migration, Pagan Empire, Angkor Wat, Gupta Empire, Mali & Aksum Empires, Indian Ocean Trade and Caste System.

Massachusetts

2018

p. 92

6.T4b Identify the location, sources of wealth, and importance of the Kingdom of Axum (c. 100-940 CE); explain the role it played in the adoption of Christianity in Ethiopia and the role east African societies played in the spread of Islam to South Asia.

Michigan

2019

p. 72

7 – W4.1.2 Africa to 1500 CE – use a case study to describe how trade integrated cultures and influenced the economy within early African empires. Examples may include but are not limited to: comparing characteristics of Aksum, Ghana, Mali, or Songhai civilizations; interpreting maps of the Trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt.

Oregon

2024

pp.

48–52

Eight of the standards for 6th/7th grade mention Axum as an example. See: 6/7.C.PI.1, Compare and contrast early forms of governance in early civilizations and empires from the Paleolithic to 900 CE., example • Africa: Egypt, Axum & Kush and 6/7.C.IR.6; Describe the rights and roles of citizens in civilizations and empires to 900 CE, with attention to the inclusion of historically underrepresented groups and individuals, example Africa: Egypt, Axum & Kush.

Rhode Island

2023

p. 151 SS6.7.1. c. Analyze the influence of trade on the development of early sub-Saharan African states and societies including the Kingdom of Axum, Swahili coastal societies, and Timbuktu in West Africa.

National History Standards

1996

online World History Era 3.1C. Explain connections between maritime trade and the power of the kingdom of Aksum in Northeast Africa. (7-12)

EXPLORING THE KINGDOM OF AKSUM from page 6 curriculum. In a 2021 issue of Middle Level Learning, Anna Mariah Mills described an activity she did with her students, a history “bento box project” on an ancient or medieval African kingdom.18 Both the African Studies Center at Boston University and the Center for African Studies at Howard University offer extensive resources and lesson plans for K-12 teachers.

However, middle school teachers still need to take additional steps to make their units more inclusive of the African experience.

Incorporating an inquiry study on the Kingdom of Aksum is one step toward a more inclusive grades 6–8 curriculum that highlights Africa’s global contributions.

The Persian religious leader Mani once called Aksum one of the four great empires of its time, alongside Rome, Persia, and China.19 With focused inquiry and study, educators can give Aksum the recognition it deserves.

8 May/June 2025

Notes 1. Katie Hunt, “Archaeologists Uncover Lost Town from Little-Known Ancient African Empire,” CNN (Dec. 11, 2019).

2. John Middleton, “Aksum Kingdom (ca. 6 B.C.E.-1150 C.E.),” in World Monarchies and Dynasties (Oxford: Taylor & Francis Group, 2000), 22.

3. The British Museum, “The Kingdom of Aksum,” Smarthistory (Sept. 23, 2016), https://smarthistory.org/the-kingdom-of-aksum.

4. “Aksumite Trade and the Port of Adulis,” Kwasi.Konadu, blog (March 11, 2018). https://kwasikonadu.info/blog/2018/3/18/aksumite-tradeand-the-port-of-adulis.

5. Jason Urbanas, “Africa’s Merchant Kings,” Archaeology Today (July/Aug 2023), https://archaeology.org/issues/july-august-2023/features/ aksum-ethiopia-eritrea-kingdom.

6. BBC News Africa, “The Rise of Aksum: History of Africa with Zeinab Badawi [Episode 5], (April 29, 2020), www.youtube.com/watch?v= A4OSEpexs_Q

7. Stephen Williams, “The Askum-Arabia Axis,” Middle East, no. 373 (Dec. 2006): 58-61.

8. The British Museum, “The Kingdom of Aksum.”

9. National Geographic Education, “The Kingdom of Aksum,” (2024), https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/kingdomaksum/6th-grade.

10. Roderick Grierson, “The Ark of the Covenant at Aksum?” Wonders of the African World, PBS Online, www.pbs.org/wonders/fr_wn.htm 11. Michael J. Harrower, Ioana A. Dumitru, Cinzia Perlingieri, Smiti Nathan, Kifle Zerue, Jessica L. Lamont, Alessandro Bausi, et al. “Beta Samati:

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Discovery and Excavation of an Aksumite Town,” Antiquity 93, no. 372 (2019): 1534–52. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2019.84 12. The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History (National Council for the Social Studies, Silver Spring, MD, 2013); S.G. Grant, “From Inquiry Arc to Instructional Practice,” Social Education, 77, no. 6 (2013): 322-26.

13. Mr. and Mrs. Social Studies, “Teaching with Grapes in your Ancient Civilizations Class,” (2021), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMMB9

Curriculum,” Edutopia, (July 3, 2020), https://www.edutopia.org/article/ teaching-african-history-and-cultures-across-curriculum

18. Anna Mariah Mills, “Teaching Ancient and Medieval Africa with the History Bento Box Project,” Middle Level Learning (May/June 2021): 1-14.

19. PBS Learning Media, “The Aksum Kingdom: Trade and Ancient Africa.”

qyQLLM

14. Doug Beuhl, Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning, (4th ed.), Routledge, 2024.

15. National Geographic Education, “The Kingdom of Aksum,” (2024), https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/kingdomaksum/6th-grade

16. PBS Learning Media, “The Aksum Kingdom: Trade and Ancient Africa,” https://az.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/65020a47-68b4-457d-a4e70bf306450605/the-aksum-kingdom-trade-and-ancient-africa

17. Elsa Wiehe, “Teaching African History and Cultures across the

Cindy Coe, EdD, is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Arizona State University, specializing in social studies methods and disciplinary literacy. She spent 32 years teaching grades 6–12 ELA and Social Studies in Oregon and Washington. Her research interests include brainbased learning, student-led inquiry, and engaging pedagogy to meet the needs of 21st century students.

Become an NCSS member! Use your smartphone’s camera to scan this QR code or go to www.socialstudies.org/membership.

9 May/June 2025

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Department-Wide Inquiry Initiatives: C3 Teachers Talk with Yoana Villarreal and Lindsey Mizerek from Monterrey, Mexico Yoana Villarreal and Lindsey Mizerek have more than three decades of experience in the classroom; they teach and lead social studies at the American School Foundation of Monterrey (ASFM) in Mexico. Before moving to Mexico, Lindsey taught for many years at multiple schools in Illinois. Lindsey’s experiences span classroom teaching, inclusive co-teaching, special education, and leading grade-level teams. At ASFM, Lindsey teaches seventh-grade social studies and heads the middle school social studies program. Yoana attended the American School Foundation of Monterrey as a student, moved to the United States to pursue a degree in education, and then returned to ASFM as a teacher.

At Monterrey, Yoana teaches AP social studies courses in the high school and leads the social studies department.

Together, Yoana and Lindsey lead an inquiry initiative at the American School Foundation of Monterrey.

We sat down with Yoana and Lindsey to discuss their journeys toward inquiry and how they’ve implemented this approach across middle and high school social studies courses.

C3 Teachers: How did you two come to inquiry for the first time, and what first drew you?

Lindsey: About nine years ago, while I was working at a middle school in Illinois, [I first encountered inquiry-based learning]. It was around the time that social studies was facing significant marginalization and the state was revising its social studies standards based on the C3 Framework. One of our educational coaches introduced the Social Studies Department to the Inquiry Design Model (IDM) and C3 Framework.

Then, I attended two conferences in 2016 and 2017—the 10 May/June 2025

Photo by Kathy Swan

Edited by MaryBeth Yerdon, Kathy Swan, John Lee, and S.G. Grant

Yoana Villarreal, Lindsey Mizerek, Jill Rothschild, and Sharlesque George (and Hobbes) from ASFM at a C3 Teachers Inquiry Leadership Meeting in Lexington, KY, October 2024.

IDM Summer Institute in Lexington, Kentucky, and then in Washington, DC. For me, the IDM structures the process of inquiry so that students discover new perspectives. It’s highly engaging for students, and oftentimes I’ll see kids change their minds based on multiple pieces of evidence, which is amazing, especially today. As a teacher, you can see kids developing critical thinking and deliberation skills in real time, and that’s what drew me in.

Yoana: During one of my first years teaching, the head of our department nominated me to go to the IDM Institute in Washington, DC. I learned a lot at the institute, and when I returned, I immediately began implementing inquiry in my classroom. What I love

Middle Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

the most about inquiry is that it’s not just the teacher standing up in the front of the room giving a lecture.

Inquiry puts student voice at the center, and that leads to more student engagement because kids feel that what they have to say matters.

C3 Teachers: It sounds like you both got hooked on inquiry pretty quickly. What has it been like implementing inquiry as a content-wide approach in middle and high school social studies? Has everyone embraced inquiry and the IDM as fast as you did?

Yoana: Yes and no. So far, we have transitioned two grade levels to inquiry-based curriculum aligned to the IDM (Inquiry Design Model) and C3 Framework. By the end of this year, our goal is to transition three more grades so that we see vertical alignment with IDM. We are facing some challenges during this transition.

Teachers become fatigued with innovation. By the time you learn one thing, another comes along. As a result, whenever something new comes along, some teachers jump right in and some are, understandably, cautious.

Lindsey: Yes, it can be challenging. Teachers in general are understandably concerned about new trends; we are also just tired and overwhelmed. I think there are a lot of classrooms out there that think they are doing inquiry, but inquiry is more than simply asking openended call-and-response questions. That is where the IDM comes in. As a framework for inquiry, the IDM guides questioning and positions the teacher as the facilitator of those questions. Enduring difficult tasks is the hard part for students, and letting go of control is the hard part for teachers.

C3 Teachers: When someone says “I’m already doing inquiry,” but it is not the kind of inquiry envisioned by the IDM, what are those conversations like?

Yoana: We started small, then scaffold and support the rollout, which means we get to define what we mean by inquiry. We brought in trainers and made it clear that what we mean by inquiry is the IDM and 11 May/June 2025

C3 Framework. We gave out a lot of resources.

Lindsey: Shifting teachers away from the content is a big challenge. IDM is not just shifting the way we teach social studies, it is also presenting content in a new way and oftentimes providing new content. I think group support is a big factor, building buy-in one teacher at a time, starting with those who might be the most eager to do something new. That energy is contagious.

Yoana: I agree with the sentiment about content. The best thing about the IDM Blueprints is that they are editable. If you have a teacher who really likes to teach a particular unit or lesson or slice of content, you can probably find something about that on the C3 Teachers site. Then, you give them the opportunity to adapt the featured sources using some of their favorite sources. Teachers like to be creative, most do not want a scripted curriculum, and the published inquiries allow for supporting that creativity. The inquiries on the C3 site are editable, which is huge for teachers who want ownership over their classroom but also need support. Plus, there’s a lot of teacher-ready stuff out there that is not good quality and the inquiries on the C3 Teachers’ site are all vetted.

C3 Teachers: Your school is in Mexico, and while there are lots of global-focused inquiries on the C3 Teachers’ site, there are not as many about current Mexican culture, society, and politics.

How have you made inquiry local for your students?

Lindsey: We are modifying inquiries to fit our needs and student population and we are also working with Kathy Swan [of C3 Teachers] to develop inquiries for our community. One question we worked on last year was “Who am I in Mexico?” which catered to our school in particular, and they loved that inquiry. Students within the inquiry studied the demographics of the school and how those demographics changed at various scales, including community, city, and country. Like most students, ours can become a little myopic, and

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

this inquiry allowed students to understand who they are in the context of Mexico (See Blueprint that follows).

Yoana: Yes, our school is unique. It’s a private American School. All of our students are bilingual. I had one student who was in the process of learning Spanish, but bilingualism is a big part of our school culture. Our students have really taken inquiry and made it local as well. They did an action project on changing the

school dress code. They created a plan and approached the administration and got the dress code changed.

That’s all inquiry in action.

C3 Teachers: What advice would you offer school leaders trying to implement a department-wide inquiry initiative?

Yoana: Just go for it, get started, and lead by example!

Invite teachers into your classroom, work on buy-in,

Who am I in Mexico?

D2.Geo.6.6-8. Explain how the physical and human characteristics of places and regions are connected to human identities and cultures.

C3 Social Studies Standards

D2.Civ.6.6-8. Describe the roles of political, civil, and economic organizations in shaping people’s lives.

D4.1.6-8. Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the arguments.

Staging the Question

Examine images of Mexico and select the image that best represents who you are in Mexico. Share selections and explain your answer.

Supporting Question 1 Who are the students at ASFM? Formative Performance Task Complete a graphic organizer listing key characteristics of students and also the geography of the school.

Success criteria: Key Terms from sources need to be sorted.

Featured Sources Source A: ASFM profile Source B: ASFM Tuition fees Source C: ASFM Facilities Source D: History of ASFM

Supporting Question 2 What’s it like to live in San Pedro/ Santa Catarina?

Formative Performance Task

Supporting Question 3 What’s it like to live in the Monterrey Metropolitan area?

Formative Performance Task

Supporting Question 4 What’s it like to live in the state of Nuevo Leon?

Formative Performance Task

Construct a claim about what it’s like to live in San Pedro and provide 2 pieces of evidence.

(Students should provide reasoning, but it won’t be evaluated).

Construct a claim about the key characteristics of Monterrey, using evidence to support your answer and reasoning.

Write a paragraph describing the meaning and importance of the symbols in the coat of arms using evidence to support your answer and reasoning.

Make assessment look similar to 2

Pre-assessment on (CER) Make assessment look similar to 3 Featured Sources Source A- Arboleda Source B-Gallerias Source C-Cultural?

Featured Sources Source A- Maps of Monterrey Source B- Cultural/History Source C- Economy

Featured Sources Source A-Economics Source B- Geography/culture Source C-Coat of Arms Look below

Source E: ASFM fact sheet-external Summative Performance Task

ARGUMENT: Who am I in Mexico? Construct an argument with a graphic of a coat of arms that represents who you are in Mexico and include a paragraph that provides evidence and reasoning about the choices you made. Consider: What can I be proud of as a member of each community (ASFM, San Pedro, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon) EXTENSION: Write a letter to your Penpal sharing your coat of arms and describing its construction and significance.

12 May/June 2025

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

and, if you can, send teachers to C3 workshops or partner with experts to get the ball rolling. Let teachers get their feet wet before jumping in. Starting an inquiry from scratch is hard, but there are great resources available. I think teachers naturally lean into inquiry because they feel successful doing it and they see how engaged their students are. Anyone who feels success will naturally want more.

Lindsey: And be intentional about it. We have a plan, our roll out is intentional, and our motivation is giving students deep and authentic learning experiences. We have hit some walls, of course, but success is happening, students love it, and they are learning complex skills, and every teacher likes to see that.

C3 Teachers: Is there professional learning or an approach that has been effective in getting teachers on board?

Lindsey: First, I think it’s best to have teachers observe inquiry in action, we call these learning walks. Teachers who are new to inquiry benefit from co-teaching with another teacher who is more experienced in teaching through inquiry. That obviously takes time and resources, but they are also learning in community.

Second, get teachers new to the IDM started by giving them a vetted inquiry from the C3 Teachers site, either one of the featured inquiries or one from the state or organizational hubs. That process sets teachers up to feel the success right away, then they are hooked.

Finally, once they are hooked, get them into professional learning communities so they can share their successes and challenges with trusted colleagues.

C3 Teachers: As you said, implementing inquiry takes time and requires agile facilitators. How do you help others develop that skill set?

Yoana: You have to give teachers space to be uncomfortable, not knowing what might happen next.

You’re no longer the person standing in the front of the classroom giving a lecture. You are facilitating student learning, and you can’t always script everything that might happen out before kids begin digging into the 13 May/June 2025

questions, tasks, and sources. As a teacher, you have to be okay with finding out where the inquiry will lead, together with your students. Mistakes will happen, and at the end of the day, to be a great facilitator, you have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

C3 Teachers: Finally, leadership can be a lonely place. Lots of school leaders are doing work on their own, not necessarily because they don’t want to collaborate, but because of time and resources. You two have an amazing partnership.

What has it been like working together on this initiative?

Lindsey: You can do anything with a good thought partner! Yoana keeps me sane; it’s easy to go down the inquiry rabbit hole. We have a sense of trust with each other, and because we trust each other we can have challenging conversations. Our partnership has helped me become a better teacher and leader. We have two sets of eyes on everything; we have two minds generating ideas; and we are two teachers who are fully invested in what’s best for kids. This partnership is helping me bring inquiry to life like I never have before.

Yoana: I couldn’t do this alone. We complement each other; we are very different and come from very different perspectives. I’m from Mexico, and Lindsey grew up in the United States. I am an introvert, and Lindsey is more direct. Our differences are what make us a good team.

Lindsey: Yes, our differences are what make us stronger.

Yoana: Exactly, together, we are stronger because we have different approaches, but we are saying the same thing. Maybe on our own, we would get more push back, but when we are doing and saying the same thing, when we are aligned, and when others see that we are having success with our students, it’s hard not to listen.

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Teachers from around the world are using inquiry and the IDM in the classroom. Creating community through connecting teachers is one of C3 Teachers’ primary goals. Through inquiry development, blogging, and the C3 Teachers Institute, C3 Teachers strive to support teachers as they implement inquiry in the classroom. Join us! We want to hear from you.

MaryBeth Yerdon

Kathy Swan

John Lee

S. G. Grant

The C3 Teachers initiative is guided by MaryBeth Yerdon (SUNY Cortland), Kathy Swan (University of Kentucky), John Lee (North Carolina State University), and S.G. Grant (Binghamton University).

Kathy, John, and S.G. have worked as leaders and writers in the C3 Framework project and know first-hand the critical role teachers play in the implementation and realization of the C3 goals. Their work extends beyond the C3 into teacher education and preparing new teachers to tackle the challenges of teaching social studies in the 21st century.

Teaching Writing in the Social Studies Joan Brodsky Schur NCSS Bulletin 118, 143 pages, 2020 Good writing skills are a pathway to academic success and a lifelong asset for students. The social studies disciplines offer excellent opportunities for the development of these skills because social studies subjects require students to present information clearly and accurately, to summarize different perspectives, and to construct persuasive arguments.

In this book, Joan Brodsky Schur draws on her extensive experience as a teacher of both social studies and English to show how social studies teachers can integrate excellent writing instruction into their courses. In every chapter, she recommends several writing strategies, each of which is embedded in social studies content, to show how thinking skills, mastery of information, and writing reinforce one another. The chapters of the book present a structured progression in which students become proficient at writing on a small scale—for example, through short writes, or paragraphs about clearly defined topics—as the foundation for more ambitious projects such as essays and research papers.

This book offers invaluable suggestions that will help social studies teachers in grades 7 through 12 to teach the skills of communication and self-expression that will enable students to achieve their college and career goals and become effective citizens with a voice in American society.

Joan Brodsky Schur is a social studies consultant, author, and teacher who taught both social studies and English to students in New York City for three decades. She is the author or co-author of six books for teachers on topics related to United States and world history, including Eyewitness to the Past: Strategies for Teaching American History in Grades 5–10.

NCSS Item number 205000 Price: $42.95 (list price) $32.95 (NCSS member price) https://members.socialstudies.org/store

Purchase 10 or more copies and save 20% off the non-member price. Order online at www.socialstudies.org/store. To order by phone, call 1-800-683-0812. To order by purchase order, please email as attachments to bookstore@ncss.org; fax to 301-779-8596, or mail to NCSS Publications, 7100 Old Landover Road Suite 500 Hyattsville MD 20785. Any order including a check as payment should be sent to: NCSS, P.O. Box 79078, Baltimore, MD 21279-0078.

14 May/June 2025

Middle Level Learning 83 ©2025 National Council for the Social Studies

Magdalena Mata, a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) in Boerne, Texas, is a Professional Learning Facilitator for the Texas National Board Coalition for Teaching. She taught middle school social studies for 15 years. Her teaching expertise is World Cultures, Texas History, and Early American History for grades six through eight.

Q. Why did you become a teacher?

A. My father is an educator, my mother is a school secretary, and my oldest sister is a Special Education teacher—but I was sure I was going to be the lawyer of the family! And then I had a dream—a literal dream—where I was standing in front of a classroom teaching. Almost immediately, I went into my local education service center’s alternative certification program.

It was the best decision I ever made.

In my classroom, my students are seen, loved, respected, and given choice in their learning—that is something that I learned as a student from my incredible public school teachers.

Q. What teaching success or career achievement are you most proud of?

A. I am incredibly proud to be a National Board Certified Teacher. I was certified in 2014 in Early Adolescence Social Studies/History and at the time there were only about 9 teachers with this certification in Texas. I achieved Maintenance of Certification in 2023 and now there are about 14 of us in Texas.

Being an NBCT made my teaching more intentional, reflective, and impactful as I was able to differentiate

for students, incorporate critical thinking strategies, and intentionally plan for content to meet students’ academic and social emotional needs.

I am now honored to be helping other teachers undergoing National Board certification.

Q. When and why did you join NCSS? A. I joined NCSS early on in my career to learn about different pedagogical strategies, to have access to resources, and to connect with teachers across the nation.

Q. How has being a part of a professional association enriched your career?

A. I have served on the Annual Conference Proposal Committee Review, reading and recommending session proposals for over three years. I have also contributed to a TedTalk type of session. Currently, I am serving my first of three years on the NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books Committee.

Each of these opportunities has given me the chance to increase my impact on social studies teachers exponentially and to be another voice for teachers and students.

Middle School Teachers, We Want to Hear from You! Write about the social studies lesson you are most proud of—the one your students are sure to remember. Was it a U.S. or world history lesson? Geography?

Economics? Civics? Submit an article to Middle Level Learning and share your work: www.editorialmanager. com/ncssjournalscom/ncssjournals

MIDDLE LEVEL LEARNING Jennifer Bauduy, MLL Editor • Nancy Driver, Director of Publications • Rich Palmer, Art Manager

15 May/June 2025