Educator Field Guide

The Complete Teacher Guide

Everything you need to plan IB PYP inquiry units, run dual-screen live sessions, moderate student drawings, and end lessons with gamified Informed Reviews.

1

Creating & Planning Decks

Method A

AI Inquiry Studio

Enter your Year level, PYP Transdisciplinary Theme, and Central Idea. Or upload an existing PDF/Word planner.

  • 🎯 Single Phase Deck: Generates a focused 5-slide presentation tailored to your current phase (e.g. Tuning In).
  • ⚡ Generate All 6 Phases: The AI scaffolds the entire 6-week unit, generating 6 distinct decks (5 slides each) directly into your library.
Method B

Upload Unit Template (.docx, .csv, .md)

Have your own curriculum team planner? Use our official Word or CSV starter templates.

  • 📦 Go to Community Library → click Upload Template.
  • 🔄 Automatically splits your 30 slides into 6 modular phase decks.
  • 🔒 Save privately to your account or publish publicly for fellow teachers.
2

The Dual-Screen Classroom Setup

InquiryCycle is designed from the ground up for two distinct views running in real time:

💻

Screen 1: Teacher Cockpit

Kept on your laptop, desk iPad, or tablet

  • • Advance presentation slides with clicker or arrow keys
  • • Review incoming student drawings & text in real-time
  • • Spacebar to approve thoughts • X to dismiss
  • • Launch timer, lock room, or manage participants
📽️

Screen 2: Stage (Projector View)

Projected on your classroom interactive whiteboard

  • • Displays the PIN, QR code, and current inquiry slide
  • • Shows approved student thinking on the shared class wall
  • • Presents live review game scoreboards, podiums, and secret codes
  • • Never reveals student personal information or unmoderated work
3

Student Experience & Visible Thinking

🦊

Zero-Login Mascot Badges

Students visit inquirycycle.com/join and enter the PIN. They choose an animal mascot (or secret combo is generated). No passwords or accounts required.

✏️

Interactive Drawing Canvas

Students draw diagrams, annotate visual prompts, or prototype models right on their iPads, laptops, or Chromebooks with full undo/redo and color palette.

💡

Harvard Project Zero Routines

Native support for See, Think, Wonder, Think-Pair-Share, Color-Symbol-Image, and Claim-Support-Question built directly into slide types.

4

Gamified Informed Review

At the end of any inquiry session, launch an Informed Review. Choose from 5 dynamic game modes tailored to your class dynamics:

🎮 Classic Quiz

Live fast-paced individual quiz with countdown timer, star awards, and live podium.

⚔️ Team Battle (Vault & Crack Code)

Students pool correct answers into team vaults and crack rival team secret codes.

🎯 Class Mastery Run

The entire class works together towards an 80% or 90% collective mastery target bar.

💎 Mystery Chests (Gold & Steals)

Correct answers grant chest openings with surprise points, shields, and point steals.

🏎️ Grand Prix Racing

Turn every correct answer into horsepower as class cars race across the board.

⏱️ Incorrect Answer Delay

Pedagogical cooldown that prevents guessing and requires reading explanations.

5

Privacy & Learning Journals (PDF)

GDPR Article 8 & COPPA Zero-Data Design

Because students use anonymous mascot names, no student personal data is stored on our servers. All classroom submissions and drawings are ephemeral and wiped within 24 hours.

Before closing the session, students can click "Download Portfolio PDF" to generate a high-resolution, printable visible thinking artifact containing their own drawings and thoughts with zero cloud storage.

📑

Instant Student Portfolios

Complete with unit context, inquiry phase, drawings, and review score.

Generated 100% Client-Side

Ready to start your next inquiry?

Generate a live deck in seconds or test a room from your dashboard.