About the EQuIP grant
As the Educational Quality through Instructional Partnerships (EQuIP) grant project, an exploratory research-to-practice study led by Dr. Lucy Santos-Green came to a close, a lasting legacy was born. The project, funded by the IMLS, set out to identify specific components of Guided Inquiry Design® (GID) units — collaboratively designed and implemented by school librarians and classroom teachers — that lead to higher academic achievement and student mastery of K-12 learning outcomes.
Now, after the incredible work of dedicated school teams across the country, we are proud to share examples of these Guided Inquiry Design® units publicly. These powerful models of inquiry-based learning are available for educators seeking high-quality examples of GID in action.
What is Inquiry-based learning?
While most educators agree that inquiry-based learning increases student engagement, critical thinking, and independent learning skills, there is often a lack of shared understanding about what inquiry-based learning truly entails.
The authors of Guided Inquiry Design® define inquiry learning this way:
“Inquiry learning is an approach whereby students find and use a variety of sources of information and ideas to increase their understanding of a problem, topic, or issue of importance. It requires more than simply getting a right answer. It espouses investigation, exploration, search, quest, research, pursuit, and study. It is enhanced by involvement with a community of learners, each learning from the other in social interaction.”
(Kuhlthau, Maniotes & Caspari, 2007)
Guided Inquiry Design® (GID) takes this approach further, offering a fluid and flexible model to guide students through the flow of discovery, empowering them to ask their own questions and pursue knowledge using a variety of high-quality sources.
About the EQuIP Grant and the Units Now Available
Through the EQuIP grant funding, nine school-based teams of classroom teachers and school librarians came together to learn about GID, design standards-based units, implement those units with students, and reflect on their designs. These teams participated in the GID Institute training led by Dr. Leslie Maniotes, then received follow-up coaching and support as they refined their units for real-world classroom use.
Today, these final revised unit plans are available for you to view on our site. They represent collaborative efforts from diverse school communities and demonstrate the wide range of possibilities when educators embrace inquiry-based learning.
You’ll find units in the areas of:
- Middle School:
- Technology and Innovation
- The Roaring Twenties
- Improving Our Community
- High School:
- Ethnic Studies: From a Local Perspective on History of Our Town
- United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development
Each unit offers a full window into how Guided Inquiry Design® creates deep engagement and rich learning outcomes for students.
Five Features You’ll Find in Each GID Unit
- Aligned to the Phases of Inquiry
Units follow the Guided Inquiry Design® Framework, ensuring students move naturally through phases of building background, exploration, questioning, investigation, and creation. - Use of Research-Based Inquiry Tools
Units integrate key GID Inquiry Tools: Inquiry Journals, Inquiry Logs, Inquiry Charts, Inquiry Circles, and Community Interaction. - Embedded Strategies for Guiding Learners
Effective scaffolding supports students at just the right moments, teaching information literacy, critical thinking, and research skills. - Locally Relevant, Globally Important Concepts
Units connect meaningfully to local communities and examples while also addressing globally significant ideas that prepare students for life beyond school. - Alignment to Standards
Each unit meets national, state, and/or local standards across content, literacy, information literacy, social, and process learning areas.
See Inquiry in Action: New Video Featuring an EQuIP Team
We’re thrilled to also share a video showcasing one of the EQuIP Teams as they begin their second round of implementation. You’ll see the teacher and librarian team-teaching seamlessly, students fully engaged in their learning, and the power of a well-designed Guided Inquiry Design® unit in action.
Watch the video here → LINK
Explore the EQuIP Units and Start Your GID Journey
We are excited to share these carefully crafted units with the education community. Each one demonstrates how Guided Inquiry Design® transforms classrooms and elevates student learning.
Visit the EQuIP Grant Unit Examples page to explore the full unit plans. Whether you’re just beginning or looking to enhance your inquiry practices, these examples are here to inspire and guide your next steps.
Because of the EQuIP Grant, you can finally see GID in action!
