Framing the Inquiry

Overview

Students launch the ten-lesson unit “Indigenous Americas Before Contact” by examining maps, a timeline, and a small set of historical sources. They develop the inquiry question, distinguish primary from secondary sources, and establish simple criteria for deciding whether evidence is useful and credible.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Use maps and timelines to locate and sequence information about Indigenous societies.
• Distinguish between primary and secondary sources.
• Identify details from multiple sources that help answer an inquiry question.
• Explain why evidence should be checked for relevance, accuracy, and perspective.

Success criteria

• I can locate North and Central America on a map and describe what a timeline shows.
• I can explain the difference between a primary and a secondary source.
• I can record evidence that helps answer the inquiry question.
• I can give at least two reasons why a source may be credible or need further checking.

Curriculum links

• Reading informational texts: draw information from multiple print or digital sources to answer questions efficiently.
• Reading informational texts: determine main ideas, identify supporting details, and summarize information.
• Writing: conduct a short research project using several sources to build knowledge.
• California Common Core history/social science literacy: cite specific evidence, determine central ideas, and use maps, timelines, and multiple sources to investigate the past.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and wonder. Teacher displays a map of the Americas before European arrival and asks, “What can a map show us, and what can it not show us?” using the opening map and wonder question. Students silently notice, wonder, and share one observation with a partner.

2. 5–12 min · Frame the inquiry. Teacher introduces the unit question—“How did Indigenous societies in North and Central America develop before European arrival?”—and briefly explains that “before contact” refers to the period before sustained European arrival in a particular region, not to a single date for every society. Students paraphrase the question and suggest smaller questions about geography, resources, government, technology, culture, and daily life.

3. 12–20 min · Maps and timelines. Teacher models how to read a physical and cultural map, then uses the map and timeline slides to show that Indigenous societies developed across different places and times, including regions such as the Southwest, Eastern Woodlands, Mesoamerica, and the Andes. Students work in six pairs to identify one geographic clue and one timeline clue, recording them on the inquiry launch worksheet. Emphasize that broad regional labels do not describe every Indigenous nation or community.

4. 20–30 min · Source detective lesson. Teacher presents four brief source examples in the source detective slides: an Indigenous-made artifact or image, a translated historical account, a modern textbook paragraph, and a museum or reference entry. Model the questions: Who created it? When? Why? What information can it provide? Teacher defines a primary source as evidence created during the period being studied or by someone directly connected to an event, and a secondary source as a later explanation or interpretation. Students classify the examples with a partner and justify one decision using evidence from the source description.

5. 30–40 min · Evidence sorting and credibility. Teacher assigns each pair two short source excerpts on the source analysis section and guides students to apply three criteria: relevance to the question, accuracy or support from other evidence, and perspective or possible bias. Students underline useful details, label each source primary or secondary, and write one question they still have. Pairs share one piece of evidence and explain whether it is strong, limited, or requires further checking. Teacher reinforces that a primary source is not automatically completely accurate and that secondary sources can be useful when their evidence and authorship are clear.

6. 40–45 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher revisits the closing inquiry and reflection slide and asks students to complete the final section of the inquiry launch worksheet: “One thing I learned about studying Indigenous societies is…,” “One source I would want to investigate further is…,” and “It may be credible because….” Students share responses with a partner before handing in the worksheet.

Resources

• the inquiry launch slide deck
• the inquiry launch worksheet
• Projector or interactive display
• Teacher-selected age-appropriate map of North and Central America
• Teacher-selected timeline showing varied Indigenous societies and dates
• Four brief source examples with creator, date, and context
• Colored pencils or highlighters
• Board or chart paper for the class credibility criteria

Assessment

• Listen for accurate use of map and timeline evidence during pair discussions; correct the misconception that all Indigenous societies existed at the same time or developed in the same way.
• Check source classifications and written justifications for the difference between primary and secondary sources.
• Use the final worksheet responses to identify students who can connect evidence to the inquiry question and those needing reteaching on credibility or perspective.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank—source, evidence, artifact, perspective, primary, secondary, credible—and sentence starters such as “This source is ___ because…” and “This detail helps answer the question by….”
• Pair students strategically and read excerpts aloud; offer enlarged maps, clearly spaced text, and highlighted creator/date information for students with reading, attention, or visual needs.
• For multilingual learners, preview “before contact,” “society,” “develop,” and “evidence,” and allow students to discuss ideas before writing.
• Challenge ready students to explain how the same source might answer one question well but provide limited evidence for another, or to compare the perspectives of two sources.