Kailua High School Social Studies Department and Hawaii National Geographic Alliance Win Inquiry Challenge

The purpose of the challenge was to support and reward social studies educators using the Inquiry Design Model™ (IDM). The challenge was co-sponsored by C3 Teachers and the Social Studies Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction (SSACI) Collaborative, which is part of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). This national prize is really a testament to all of the hard work that the Kailua High School social studies department of which the academy's Dr. Amber S. Makaiau was a part, the University of Hawaii ITE Secondary Program, and the Hawaii National Geographic Alliance put into planning and carrying out the C3 BioBlitz inquiry with Kailua High School students last May. It is a true acknowledgement that what they are doing with the social studies curriculum and instruction is not only on the right path, but leading the way for other educators in our nation. The prize included a $500 cash prize as well as a feature of their inquiry on the C3 Teachers website!