10&11

I really like the idea of extended inquiry for reading and units, especially applied to the study of history.  I feel like the big picture can be easily lost in the slew of names and dates that are associated with teaching and learning history, while broader ideas like how the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century translates into todays world or how ideas of freedom evolved pre and post slavery can get lost. It is important to me that I teach my students how the past informs the present, and this fits neatly into the extended inquiry.  I also love the idea of setting up the context and doing pre-reading exercises.  For example, a pre-reading exercise could be students writing what a typical day for them looks like before they read about everyday life in colonial America - that way they will be able to compare the past and the present in a personal way.
I think it is so important for students reading about history (or anything for that matter) to be able to picture what they are reading about in their minds.  It makes reading more enjoyable and easier to comprehend.  It also makes transferring information easier.  For example, if students are able to picture an event like Pickett's Charge, then they will be able to get a more in-depth understanding of different sources all detailing the event.  I never thought of this as a skill that needed to or could be taught, but it makes sense that it should and could be taught.  I guess sometimes it comes naturally to people, but some students need help in developing that skill like anything else.