1. Inquiry Based Project Overview and Expectations
In Deadline, Ben is charged with completing a civics project (Inquiry Based Project) for one of
his classes. He chose to address the racial injustice in his community. Think about your
community and the injustices you have witnessed. Your community could be this classroom,
your school, your neighborhood, the state, the nation, or the world. You are charged with
working alongside Ben, as he researches and addresses the injustice he has identified. Below is
the overview of what you will completing.
Inquiry Based Projects may involve one student, or a team, that is faced with the challenge of
completing the following tasks:
• solving a problem or bringing about awareness of the problem,
• developing and carrying out a seminar, and
• creating a product or service.
What are the steps for success?
For this project, students will spend time investigating (through extensive research, utilizing a
multitude of sources) a problem that is happening in their community – much like that of Ben’s.
In doing so, you will make a commitment to do the following:
• Attain as much knowledge as possible about the problem.
• Comprehend the problem on a deep level.
• Apply this new-found knowledge and understanding in the analysis of the problem.
• Synthesize findings and come up with solutions to the problem.
• Evaluate the possibilities/probabilities for solving the problem.
While researching your issue, what do students ask themselves?
• Why is this happening?
• Why is this allowed to continue happening?
• How can I raise awareness about this problem?
• How can I stop this problem?
• What obstacles do I face as I try to “right this wrong”?
• What’s next for me in relation to continuing my advocacy?
