The Inquiry Struggle

I have used inquiry-based units in my social studies classes. Some have been online (e.g. a Webquest about Antarctic exploration) and some have been in the classroom. The problem with of them has been that the students have had difficulty breaking away from their previous expectations. They constantly ask if what they're doing is right or if their answers are sufficient. The toughest part to me about the inquiry model is asking the right type of questions and keeping a balance between their freedom to explore and making sure they are accomplishing the tasks at hand (within the allotted time). Most of the time, I provide the (pre-filtered) research materials. This has allowed them to access a variety of material and still stay within the bounds of the project itself. The toughest part about inquiry-based units is the preparation and the amount of time they take. It's definitely an issue of quality over quantity. Sadly, my curriculum doesn't really see it that way.

My focus Standard - Historical Thinking

Blog posting: What standard are you using as a target of focus this semester? How can you link visual learning with digital imagery & Inspiration to this standard?

I am going to be focusing on the following standard throughout the semester:

SS - Standard 1.a - Historical Thinking
Students will develop historical thinking skills, including chronological thinking and recognizing change over time; contextualizing, comprehending and analyzing historical literature; researching historical sources; understanding the concept of historical causation; understanding competing narratives and interpretation; and constructing
narratives and interpretation.

I can see many uses for visual imagery when involving my students in historical thinking. Artwork such as painting and sculpture can be an excellent way of examining cultural changes throughout a time period. Film of particular decades can reflect the attitudes of a culture. In addition, the use of political cartoons and photographs allow for interpretation by the viewer adding a stronger understanding of the eras we examine.

Inspiration can always be put to good use when surveying history; categorizing events and even showing the relationships between them . It is also very useful when seeing what events took place at the same time (e.g. Reconstruction after the Civil War, the 2nd wave of immigration, and the growth of industrialism in the U.S. all overlap greatly).

A new look for a new job?

There have been several recent articles in the news suggesting an upcoming presidential impeachment. It seems as though Vice-president Cheney has created a whole new look in an effort to possibly break in to reality television if his current gig falls through.