1.

UNIT CONTEXT AND RATIONALE - 2-3 pages covering these topics

There are 12 students in the classroom, seven boys and five girls. All are of Latino descent
Background
and Spanish is their first language. There are 5 students who are new to the United States
and it is their first time in an American school. All of the students in the class are in the
beginning and developing/entering and emerging levels of English Language Acquisition.
The instructional model is an ELA pull-out SIOP Model.
The unit will be taught around week six of the Fall semester.

Unit Rationale
& Purpose

The pedagogy is a sociocultural-constructivist approach and is inspired by Dr. Luis

C. Moll. Molls work focuses on: the connection among culture, psychology and
education (especially as it relates to the education of Latino children in the US), the
quality of classroom teaching, bilingual literacy learning, how learning takes place in the
broader social contexts of household and community life, and the pedagogical
relationships amongst the aforementioned domains of study(Moll, Gonzalez, & Amanti,
2005).
-

This unit was chosen by applying the Socio-Cultural Theory to the literacy learning

of marginalized students (Latino students, specifically) and highlights the central role of
social influence on literacy learning. It also taps into the idea that education should mirror
the flexibility, adaptability, activity, and involvement students' social and cultural
environment (Tracey & Morrow, 2012).
The purpose of these lessons is to learn about certain aspects of life as an immigrant in the
United States and to develop/expand upon this knowledge via the use of all four language
demands: listening, reading, speaking and writing. As defined by WIDA:
Listening
Listening is an active skill. By highlighting an assortment of listening tasks across
standards, the need to involve students in active listening and purposeful listening skills
development becomes clear.
Speaking
English language learners engage in oral communication in a variety of situations for a
variety of purposes and in a wide spectrum of settings. As part of oral communication,
Students are constantly using language in meaningful interaction with others.

Reading
English language learners process, interpret, and evaluate written language, symbols, and
text with understanding and fluency. Learning to read in a second language may be
enhanced or hindered by students level of literacy in their native language. Students who
have a strong foundation in reading in their first language bring with them skills that can
be readily transferred in the process of learning to read in English.
Writing
English language learners use written communication for a variety of purposes and
audiences. Writing can be used to express meaning through drawing, symbols, or text.
English language learners may come with writing styles influenced by their home
cultures. ("English Language Development (ELD) Standards," n.d.)

This unit helps to spark students interest in writing in an unconventional way. The

Unit theme &

References

students are motivated to share their personal experiences in American schools with
other newcomers. The incorporation of technology enables students to experience the
whole process of composing and designing a pamphlet. The report writing, and oral
presentation of the pamphlet focuses on the development of their English language
skills. Creating a text that combines verbal and visual elements can develop students'
ability to navigate increasingly complex uses of text types in their world. ("Teachers
Network: Creating a Pamphlet For/by ESL Students," n.d.)
-

English Language Development (ELD) Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.wida.us/standards/eld.aspx
Human Rights Class at Newcomers High School (2011). Building Bridges, Telling
Our Stories. Retrieved from
http://www.niot.org/sites/default/files/Newcomers_StudentPublication.pdf.
Moll, L. C., Gonzalez, N., & Amanti, C. (2005). Funds of Knowledge: Theorizing
Practices in Households, Communities and Classrooms (1st ed.). Mahwah, NJ: L.
Erlbaum Associates.
Teachers Network: Creating a Pamphlet for/by ESL Students. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnetnyc/btao/pamphlet.htm
Tracey, D. H., & Morrow, L. M. (2012). Lenses on Reading: An Introduction to
Theories and Models. New York: Guilford.

Unit overview - Complete the chart below

Overall goal of
lesson

Focal language
domain
(listening,
speaking,
reading,
writing)

Day 1
Biopoem
Map-it

Writing

Listening
Speaking

Writing
Day 2
Biopoem work & Speaking
presentations
listening
Day 3
Vocabulary Intro
Telling My
Story
Reading Journals
Day 4
QAR Graphic
Organizer
Mini Project
Day 5
Students will
continue to
work on mini
projects for half
the class period.
During the
second half of
class students
will present their
mini projects.
Day 6
Students
continue with
presentations
Quick
Vocabulary
Review
Vocabulary
review game:
Sentence

Reading
Listening
Writing

Language focus
(vocab, pragmatics,
grammar, etc.)

Resources
(specify title, web address,
technology, genre, etc.)

Language
Vocabulary

http://www.everythingesl.net/l
essons/name_lesson.php

Language
Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Assessment (specify what

type of
formative/summative
assessment will use)
Formative: ticket out the
door

Biopoem worksheet
Biopoem self-portrait template

Formative: ticket out the

door

Vocabulary PowerPoint
Print outs of the narrative
Telling My Story by Jeannette
Neto. Student journals.

Formative: Journal entry

Reading
Writing

Vocabulary
Answering
questions

QAR graphic organizer

Mini project description sheet
PowerPoint, old magazines,
YouTube

Formative: chart
responses, observation

Speaking
Listening

Language related to
presentations

PowerPoint, old magazines,

YouTube

Formative: observation

Speaking
Listening
Reading

Vocabulary

PowerPoint
Play money

Formative: observation,
quiz/game

Auction

Day 7
Culture Shock

Speaking
Listening
Writing

Content specific
vocabulary/language

Day 8
Meme & Poem

Reading
Speaking
Writing
Listening
Writing
Reading
Speaking

Content specific
vocabulary and
implementation

Speaking
Listening

Language related to
presentations

Day 9
Pamphlet For/By
ESLs

Day 10
Pamphlet
presentations

Content specific
vocabulary and
implementation

In my culture its normal

worksheet, pencil
Laptop, projector, Culture
Shock YouTube video
(https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=J1Z4N1Nwnmk)
(https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=M4X91vhbPGs&list=P
LtBFdzddOFh7bmeGFJ4DAHaVyOvx8Sg1)
Meme PowerPoint, Meme
generator, Example meme,
You Have to Live in Somebody
Elses Country to Understand,
Cornell Notes
Laptop, Projector,
SmartBoard, PowerPoint

Pencils, Pens, StickyNotes

Laptop, Projector, SmartBoard,
PrintingPress Interactive

Formative: Questioning Closed Fist/Open Hand

(closed fist means they
have a good grip/grasp on
the concept; open hand
means they do not
understand and need more
clarification) Whole Body
Language
- Think-Pair-Share
Formative:
- Poem Annotations
- Exit slip email meme
to teacher
Formative:
- Questioning (promote
higher-order thinking
via open-ended
questions)
- Exit checks:
assignment instructions
Investigation
worksheet glued into
interactive notebook.
Formative:
?s (see lesson plan)