One of the authors, Erin Green, recognized the importance of learning about her students' identities early in the year to support her relationships with students. She also saw an opportunity for an initial inquiry into identity, which would model aspects of her approach to social studies. Her goals for this initial inquiry were to support students' recognition of their multiple identities, to help young people see how their identities affect their interpretation of both history and current issues, and to give her students the tool of perspective recognition for future inquiries. The fifth graders in this classroom believed that identities were powerful and important. Understanding one's own identities, as well as learning about classmates' identities, helped to create a trusting classroom environment that allowed everyone the freedom to ask hard questions. Starting with an exploration of their own identities allowed students to more critically interrogate history, as well as current issues. By examining how their identities affect their worldviews, young students developed sophisticated disciplinary tools for their future inquiries in social studies, as well as in their lives beyond the school walls.