I suggest doing brew in a bag if you're going to start out doing whole grain (which I also suggest.) There is some split opinion on whether it is much different than doing the whole mash tun etc deal and having only done BIAB I can't really comment on that except to say that enough experienced...
A related question, I have heard that the ambient temperature is not actually the temperature of the fermenting wort, but that the wort will generate heat.
If I have my fermentation bucket in a larger bucket of water does this mostly even out? Water transfers heat much better than air so it...