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Nature for New Minnesotans (NFNM) develops place-based natural history curriculum that is delivered at community organizations who offer free, year-round, voluntary English classes to adults. Each curriculum module includes reading, writing, and speaking activities that are co-taught by Nature for New Minnesotans staff and EL instructors. All lessons within a curriculum module are designed to address a culminating outdoor experience.
English language Instructors
English language Instructors
EL instructors share their classroom space with Nature for New Minnesotans during instruction. More importantly, they provide expertise in teaching English to adult learners and build students English literacy around natural history concepts.
Environmental Educators
Environmental Educators
Environmental Educators provide access to outdoor opportunities and, with the assistance of Nature for New Minnesotans, modify their interpretation of natural spaces for adult English language learners. Educators are diverse and represent local, state, and federal organizations.
Master Naturalist Volunteers
Master Naturalist Volunteers
Minnesota Master Naturalists provide volunteer hours to Nature for New Minnesotans and assist in program implementation and the development of materials. Master Naturalists identify relevant place-based natural history knowledge for each of our modules.
Bridging the Gap
Bridging the Gap
As our program developed, we found that stakeholders were each interconnected in specific ways to adult English language learners, much like a puzzle. The program model that emerged represents the holistic approach that NFNM takes to engage stakeholders and deliver program outcomes.
Our Modules
Each curriculum module contains five types of lessons that prepare adult English language learners for a culminating experience in the outdoors. All modules are designed for intermediate adult English language classrooms, however materials can be adapted for beginner or advanced classrooms.
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction lessons gather existing student knowledge on topics and assess English literacy on the topic. Adult language learners come to Minnesota with a deep knowledge of nature and environmental literacy, yet they may lack familiarity with Minnesota ecosystems and English words to describe them. Introduction lessons establish the base level of student knowledge on a topic and introduce learners to the culminating experience. Each module contains one introduction lesson.
Science Content
Science Content
Science content lessons address natural history topics that align with the culminating experience. The breadth of these lessons is immense, ranging from topics such as nutrient pollution, bird migration, and mercury consumption. Many of the topics covered in these lessons are also present on the United States GED exam, of which many adult language learners have an interest in completing. Each module contains 3 -4 science content lessons, for an average of 10-20 hours of classroom time.
Pre-experience
Pre-experience
Pre-experience lessons provide students with the critical skills necessary to engage with the culminating experience on their own. These lessons were designed to specifically address constraints of access to outdoor spaces in Minnesota. Lessons discuss natural resource laws and regulations; explain differences between different public lands; or prepare students to visit a natural history museum. Each module contains 1-3 pre-experience lessons, for an average of 4-10 hours of classroom time.
Socio-cultural Content
Socio-cultural Content
Socio-cultural content lessons were added to NFNM modules in the third year of our program based on student interest and teacher feedback. In many modules, students had a deep desire to share their own connections to the natural world, as well as a curiosity to learn more about the connection between natural and social history in Minnesota. These lessons focus on sharing stories and discussing the importance of natural resources to humans around the world.
Post-experience
Post-experience
Post-experience lessons are the newest addition to NFNM modules and primarily engage students in a writing reflection activity about the culminating experience. Writing prompts for each module are grounded in images taken during the field trip or during class and invite students to share their experiences, what they have learned, and how they can use the information in their everyday life.
Pick a Pathway
Pick a Pathway
During the introduction lesson, students complete a question generating activity titled, 'Ask a Naturalist'. As students ask questions, Nature for New Minnesotans staff and EL instructors work together to identify the classroom interests. Using this question list, teachers can create a flexible, customizable lesson-set that maximizes student interest in content. Based on student interests and time, Nature for New Minnesotans offers three different implementation approaches:
Immersive
Immersive
This approach is best suited for highly invested classrooms that are committed to utilizing curriculum to its full extent. Classrooms following this approach complete introduction, science-content, socio-cultural, and pre-experience lessons. Expect this approach to last 5-6 weeks.
Workshop
Workshop
This approach is best suited for classrooms that have high interest in specific culminating experiences but have limited capacity to incorporate an entire module into their classroom. This approach incorporates introduction lessons, either science content OR socio-cultural lessons, and the pre-experience lessons. This approach takes 1-2 weeks of class, including the culminating experience.
Experience
Experience
This approach is best suited for classrooms with limited time and flexibility OR for classrooms working with beginner adult EL. In this approach, classrooms complete the introduction and pre-experience lessons before participating in the culminating experience. This approach guarantees that students have been exposed to English vocabulary that addresses the culminating experience, without burdening students with additional science vocabulary and concepts. This approach typically takes 1-5 class days, including the culminating experience.
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