Module 2 - Unit 1: Biodiversity in the Rainforest

In this unit, students build background knowledge about the rainforest, including rainforest destruction, to understand why scientists study the rainforest. In the first half of the unit, they read excerpts from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World by Kathryn Lasky and other informational texts to analyze and compare text structure and write summaries. For the mid-unit assessment, students read, summarize, and compare the structure of two new informational texts about the rainforest.

In the second half of the unit, students transition to conducting web research in the second half of the unit to answer the question: What can I do to help the rainforest? They prepare for a Science Talk in which they discuss the things they can do to help and also the realistic challenges of implementing some of those things. For the first part of the end of unit assessment, students complete research independently using new sources to participate in a Science Talk in the second half of the assessment. 

Homework resources for families: English | Spanish  |  Unit 1 Homework Resources

Module 1: Stories of Human Rights

This unit is designed to help students build knowledge about human rights while simultaneously building their ability to read challenging text closely through a case study of the threats to human rights faced by fictional characters in the novel Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. Students read this novel in conjunction with selected articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which they determine the main ideas and details to support the main ideas, and then summarize. Students also read informational texts related to the story's historical context. Through their reading, they trace the journey of Esperanza, a young girl born into a comfortable life of privilege in Mexico in the 1930s, who is forced to flee to California and must rise above her difficult circumstances.

For the mid-unit assessment, students closely read a new article of the UDHR to use strategies to identify the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, to identify the main ideas, and to summarize the text. In the second half of the unit, students prepare for and participate in text-based discussions about the threats to human rights faced by the characters in Esperanza Rising and also their emotional response to these threats to human rights. This prepares them for the end of unit assessment, in which students participate in a text-based discussion about threats to human rights in Chapters 4-6 of the novel. 

Homework resources for families: English | Spanish  |  Unit 1 Homework Resources

In our reading class, we use the EL Education Curriculum, which:

• Integrates first-hand and second-hand sources to deepen understanding.

• Organizes learning into modules that focus on a specific topic, using a model text as an anchor for reading, discussion, and writing.

• Encourages students to read, discuss, and write about rich and meaningful topics.

• Uses small group instruction to fill learning gaps and provide enrichment for advanced learners.

Modules We’ll Explore This Year:

1. Stories of Human Rights

2. Biodiversity in the Rainforest

3. Athlete Leaders of Social Change

4. The Impact of Natural Disasters

Homework:

Students should read 30 minutes each night. This daily practice builds fluency, comprehension, and a love for reading.

Our Goal:

To help students think critically, communicate clearly, and develop a love for reading and learning.