Inquiry Units for English Language Arts

While inquiry is the foregrounded concept of the book, questions of consequence are the driving force behind it. The chapters offer units, including classroom materials such as specific texts and lesson plans, examples of student dialogue, and samples of student work, all of which teachers will find of great use. Most compellingly, however, the authors craft questions of consequence about what it means to be human, to make and recover from mistakes, to take ethical risks, to recognize and dismantle prejudices, and to make their schools and communities more equitable and just. For all of these reasons, this is a book middle and high school teachers should make time to read and reflect on as they revitalize their practice. -- Mollie Blackburn Ph.D., Professor of Teaching and Learning, Assistant Chair of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University
This is the perfect book for new and veteran teachers interested in inquiry-based instruction. In rich accounts of inquiry units, contributors show inquiry to be a practical, dynamic approach to teaching. This book answers two questions too often separated in education scholarship: “What do I do first period on Monday?” and “How can I expand my vision of what is possible in English class?” -- Ross Collin, Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning, Virginia Commonwealth University
This important new edition continues the focus on inquiry-driven instruction with the addition of flexible units to connect texts through an integrated approach to ELA. Teachers will appreciate the theoretical grounding and multiple points of entry for engaging students in literacy learning; students will appreciate the critical invitations to inquiry that honor their curiosities. -- Sarah Hochstetler, Professor in the Department of English, Illinois State University