Focused Inquiry: Was the Transcontinental Railroad Good for America?

Complete this focused inquiry and answer the compelling question: Was the Transcontinental Railroad Good for America? After examining sources, which includes a video from the Ken Burns UNUM Work, Exchange and Technology Playlist, students will analyze the impacts of the Transcontinental Railroad and construct a claim answering the compelling question.

The Inquiry Design Model (IDM) is a distinctive approach to creating curriculum and instructional materials that honors teachers’ knowledge and expertise, avoids overprescription, and focuses on the main elements of the instructional design process as envisioned in the Inquiry Arc of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards (2013). Unique to the IDM is the blueprint, a one-page representation of the questions, tasks, and sources that define a curricular inquiry.

This inquiry features a resource from Ken Burns UNUM, a digital platform created by Ken Burns to provide new ways to explore American history. The team at UNUM organizes scenes from his more than 40 films into playlists which trace the themes that run through our history and provide historical context for the conversations we are having today.