Elementary school curriculum review Education Essay

For this assignment, you will select a curriculum, lesson materials, lesson plan or a specific program. You will then evaluate how this curriculum/instruction/materials meets the needs of bilingual students and specifically English learners. The observation/materials should take place in/originate from your practicum setting if possible. In your write-up please describe materials (teacher's’ manual, lessons, chapters, books, technologies, assessments, etc.), and, if applicable, include content area, grade level, publisher, and year of publication. Critique should be no more than 6 pages, double-spaced, include citations from course materials, written in APA-format, and scholarly in tone. The purpose of this assignment is to offer you the opportunity to apply what you know about supporting the education of and advocating for bilingual children. Please include bibliography including the materials you are critiquing.
Guiding Questions:
How culturally responsive is this lesson plan?
How does this lesson plan meet the needs of diverse populations of ELs (newcomers, SLIFE, gifted/talented, students with disabilities)?
What needs to be modified to meet the needs of ELs at different proficiency levels?
What aspects of the SIOP protocol are present and what aspects are missing?
Overall, how does this lesson plan meet the needs of emergent bilingual students?

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING CHECKLIST University of Washington Professor of Education, Geneva Gay, defines culturally responsive teaching as: “the behavioral expressions of knowledge, beliefs, and values that recognize the importance of racial and cultural diversity in learning. It is contingent on . . . seeing cultural differences as assets; creating caring learning communities where culturally different individuals and heritages are valued; using cultural knowledge of ethnically diverse cultures, families, and communities to guide curriculum development, classroom climates, instructional strategies, and relationships with students; challenging racial and cultural stereotypes, prejudices, racism, and other forms of intolerance, injustice, and oppression; being change agents for social justice and academic equity; mediating power imbalances in classrooms based on race, culture, ethnicity, and class; and accepting cultural responsiveness as endemic to educational effectiveness in all areas of learning for students from all ethnic groups." Culturally Responsive Teaching While many educators understand the value of creating a culturally responsive classroom, for many teachers it difficult to imagine what a culturally responsive classroom looks like in practice. This tool, developed by members of the Re-Imagining Migration team and researchers at UCLA, is intended to help make the concept of a culturally responsive classroom concrete and to provide an opportunity for reflection and self-assessment. Multi-cultural includes racial, ethnic, linguistic minority, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status (SES), disability, and their various intersections. Dominant culture a.k.a mainstream, majority and Eurocentric. Geneva. Gay. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: theory, research, and practice. New York: Teachers College, p. 31. Important definitions: Heroes, holidays, historical events, & discrete cultural elements are incorporated into class lessons. LEVEL 1: CONTRIBUTIONS APPROACH IS CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PEDAGOGY INCORPORATED INTO MY TEACHING? I linguistically code switch, as needed, to facilitate understanding. I linguistically code switch to establish rapport. I include major figures, contributors, or historical events from cultures other than the dominant culture into the lesson. I include cultural or artistic works (literature, music, visual and performing arts/artists) from cultures other than the dominant culture into the lesson. I include research contributions from cultures other than the dominant cultures into my lessons. LEVEL 0 No culturally or linguistically relevant materials were included in my class. LEVEL 2: ADDITIVE APPROACH Multicultural content, concepts, themes are incorporated to the lesson from multi-cultural students’ perspectives. I include resources and texts that (e.g., reading, film, etc.) present multicultural perspectives in the lesson. I include lectures/discussions that present multi-cultural perspectives my lessons. I teach a unit that presents multi-cultural perspectives into my curricula. Students make decisions on important social issues & take action to help solve them. LEVEL 4: SOCIAL ACTION APPROACH IS CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PEDAGOGY INCORPORATED INTO MY TEACHING? My teaching encourages students to identify existing social problems or issues from multi-cultural perspectives. My lessons and assignments encourage students to gather pertinent data from multicultural perspectives on existing social problems or issues. LEVEL 3: TRANSFORMATION APPROACH The structure of the curriculum enables students to view concepts, issues, events & themes from the perspectives of diverse ethnic, racial, & cultural groups. I provide resources and instruction that enables students to view concepts, issues, themes and problems from several multi-cultural perspectives. I provide resources and instruction that enables students to view class concepts being studied from multiple perspectives, frames of references from various groups and various individuals within those groups. My teaching encourages students to clarify their values and make decisions about existing social problems using multi-cultural perspectives. My teaching encourages students to take reflective actions to help resolve social problems. I infuse multiple perspectives, frames of references, and content from various groups and perspectives to extend students’ understandings of the nature, development, and complexity of the society in which they live. I introduce the “canons” of my discipline and augment them to reflect the complex synthesis and interaction of the diverse racial/ethnic/religious/cultural elements that comprise our society. Do I view my students through a deficit lens? Or do I recognize the assets they bring? As I teach, consider: How do I talk about my students’ identities? How do I speak about the histories and cultures of groups other than my own? Are members, histories, and cultures of the nondominant group characterized/represented through a deficit lens or with demeaning messages by me or through the resources I use? If so, how? RACE Specify:________________________________________________________________ COUNTRY/ETHNICITY Specify:________________________________________________________________ IMMIGRATION STATUS Specify:________________________________________________________________ LANGUAGE/ACCENT Specify:________________________________________________________________ RELIGION Specify:________________________________________________________________ GENDER Specify:________________________________________________________________ SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS Specify:________________________________________________________________ DISABILITY Specify:________________________________________________________________ AGE Specify: ________________________________________________________________ ? References This checklist is adapted from "Integrating the Curriculum with Ethnic Content: Approaches and Guidelines", pp 189-207 in J.A. Banks & C. A. McGee Banks (Eds.), Multicultural Education: Issues & Perspectives, Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Desdemona Cardoza, PhD and Margaret Fieweger, PhD developed a version of this checklist for the 4th Annual All Campus Faculty Symposium, (1990). “Communicating, Advising and Teaching in a Multicultural University”, California State University, Los Angeles, April 24. The UCLA Institute for Immigration, Globalization, & Education research team (PI-Carola Suárez-Orozco) further adapted it for the Spencer Foundation funded "Making the Invisible Visible Project" by adding the Cultural Deficit Lens (CRT-1) and No Cultural Relevant Pedagogy Observed (CRT Level 0). Created by Re-Imagining Migration. For more information, visit: www.reimaginingmigration.org

Unit 4: The Power of Pollinators WEEK 1 Lesson 1 Science and Engineering: Life Sciences Ecosystems: Gathering Ideas and Questions about Plants S&E Big Idea Living things have life cycles with distinct phases. S&E Guiding Question Why is it important to understand the phases of life cycles? Weekly Question What is important about seeds? Content Objective I can identify what I know and what I wonder about plants. (Science and Engineering Practice 1) Language Objective I can discuss my ideas and questions about plants. (SL.2.1, SL.2.1b) Vocabulary grow: to get bigger reproduce: to make new organisms (plants) Materials and Preparation ● writing tools ● About Plants sheet, one copy for each group ● chart paper Prepare the following chart. About Plants We Think We Know We Want to Know Plan for children to work in small groups. Science & Engineering U4 W1 L1 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 For Lesson 2: Overnight, soak bean seeds to accelerate sprouting time. Each group will need seven or eight seeds. Soak more seeds than needed, as not all seeds will germinate. Opening 5 minutes In our new unit, The Power of Pollinators, we will look closely at plants. We’ll learn about their different parts and how they are used, and we’ll learn about what they need in order to grow and develop. We’ll also learn how plants reproduce, or make new plants. You all have some experiences with plants: maybe you have planted seeds and watched them grow; maybe you have noticed plants around the city or in other places; maybe you take care of plants at home. You probably also have some ideas about what plants need to grow. Today you will talk in small groups to talk about what you think you know and what more you want to know about plants. Show the About Plants sheet. As you share ideas about plants, you might not all agree on an idea. When this happens, write a question in the We Want to Know column so that you can get more information. Investigation 10 minutes Circulate and facilitate children’s discussions. Encourage children to record their thinking. Help them formulate questions. Discussion 14 minutes Gather the group together and harvest the children’s ideas, one column and one group at a time. As children share statements from the We Think We Know section, encourage discussion. If there is disagreement about a particular idea, annotate it with a question mark or formulate a new question and move it to the We Want to Know column. Closing 1 minute Today we talked about ideas we already have about plants and generated some questions to come back to through our study of pollination. This chart will stay up in the classroom so that you can keep these questions in mind as we read, experiment, and talk about plants. Tomorrow we will begin to work with seeds. Standards SL.2.1. Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. SL.2.1b. Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments Science & Engineering U4 W1 L1 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 to the remarks of others. Science and Engineering Practice 1. Asking Questions and Defining Problems Ongoing assessment Collect children’s recording sheets and reflect on the class discussion. What ideas do children begin with? What misconceptions have arisen? How do children discuss what they think they know? How attentively do they listen to others’ ideas? How do children formulate questions? Notes Science & Engineering U4 W1 L1 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 Names: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________ About Plants We Think We Know We Want to Know Science & Engineering U4 W1 L1 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 Unit 4: The Power of Pollinators WEEK 1 Lesson 2 Science and Engineering: Life Sciences Ecosystems: Observing Seeds S&E Big Idea Living things have life cycles with distinct phases. S&E Guiding Question Why is it important to understand the phases of life cycles? Weekly Question What is important about seeds? Content Objectives I can identify characteristics of seeds using a hand lens. (Science Practice Standard 3) I can record my observations using drawings and words. (W.2.10) Language Objective I can exchange observations about bean seeds with a partner. (SL.2.1b) Vocabulary No new words for this lesson Materials and Preparation ● About Plants chart, from Lesson 1 ● bean seeds, one for each pair of children ● one see of another kind, for modeling with the whole group ● pencils and colored pencils ● Observing and Recording Packets ● chart paper Create an enlarged model of the Observing and Recording page. Opening 5 minutes Today you will work in your Observing and Recording packets to practice recording observations with detail. Doing this—observing closely and recording details—will be a very important part of our work. Today we will concentrate on observing and drawing bean seeds. We will be recording careful observations throughout our study of Science & Engineering U4 W1 L2 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 plants and pollination. Each time we do, the page will include a question, the date, a drawing, some notes, and a page number. Indicate the model. Use a seed other than a bean seed to model observational recording. Be methodical in order to model effectively for future entries. The title for the page will be in the form of a question. Today we are looking carefully at a seed. Suggest a simple question for children to use as a title for this page, such as What are the parts of a seed? or What does a seed look like? Write the date, and write the page number, 1, in the box at the bottom of the page. It will be important to be able to look at your pages in order, so we’ll number each one as we go. Collaboratively with a child, model noticing and talking about the observation. Let’s look carefully. What do you notice? Yes, I see that, too. I also see… Talk about all the details of the bean seed: size, color, shape, texture, and any other marks. Model drawing, discussing scale. Let’s make sure we draw every single thing we notice. This is tricky. A seed is quite small, but I know that I can include more details if I draw it bigger, or enlarge it. Draw the seed, enlarged. Scientists often do this, but they also make sure to show the actual size. How could I do that? Allow children to make suggestions about how to indicate scale, and include this clearly on the page. Model writing observational notes, using a specific example. This detail is especially interesting to me, so I’ll write about it in the observations section at the bottom. What words might I use to describe this? You can also use this space to write a new question. See if you and your partner can think of different observations and questions to write in this section! Investigation Distribute Observing and Recording packets. Science & Engineering U4 W1 L2 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 15 minutes As children look at the seeds and record their observations, listen to their conversations and take note of how they approach the drawing. Encourage children to look ever more closely and to include every detail they see. Support their conversations as they exchange observations and formulate questions. Tell me what you notice. How can you draw those details? Are you both showing that part of the seed in your drawings? How will you show what size the bean seed actually is? What are you wondering about the seed? Identify the work of one pair of children to share with the whole group using the Thinking and Feedback routine. Talk with these children ahead of time to identify the strategy they used or any specific feedback they would like to solicit. Discussion 10 minutes Gather the children in the whole group. Facilitate the Thinking and Feedback session. Finish by reviewing clear expectations for observational recording. Closing If any new ideas or questions have arisen, add them to the About Plants chart. Tomorrow we will start growing the bean seeds you observed today. It will be interesting to see how they change over time. Standards SL.2.1b. Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others. W.2.10. Write routinely for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and Interpreting Data Ongoing assessment Look through the children’s Observing and Recording packets. Notice how they represent their ideas in drawings and words. Add new questions to the class chart. Notes Science & Engineering U4 W1 L2 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 Unit 4: The Power of Pollinators WEEK 1 Lesson 3 Science and Engineering: Life Sciences Ecosystems: Setting Up Germination Experiments S&E Big Idea Living things have life cycles with distinct phases. S&E Guiding Question Why is it important to understand the phases of life cycles? Weekly Question What is important about seeds? Content Objective I can design experiments to determine in what conditions seeds germinate. (SE Practice 3) Language Objective I can exchange ideas with my partners for testing conditions for seed germination. (SL.2.1b) Vocabulary germinate: to begin to develop into a plant sprout: to begin to grow shoot: new growth of a plant root: the part of the plant that grows underground and collects water and nutrients condition: a characteristic of the environment that allows seeds to germinate or not Materials and Preparation For the lesson: ● chart paper At the top of this paper write the question, What conditions do seeds need to germinate? ● About Plants chart, from previous lessons ● Science and Engineering packets ● writing tools For the experiments: ● bean seeds, 8 for each group Science & Engineering U4 W1 L3 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 ● plastic zip lock bags, 2 for each group ● paper towels, 2 for each group ● small containers for planting, 2 for each group ● soil, enough to fill all the containers ● 1 spray bottle or small container with water, 1 for each group ● Starting Seeds in Bags procedure, 1 copy for each group ● Starting Seeds in Containers procedure, 1 copy for each group ● experiment label templates, copied and cut apart, enough for each group to have 2 ● popsicle sticks or straws, 1 for each group Arrange a set of experiment materials at each work table. Opening 12 minutes What conditions do seeds need to germinate? Refer to the question on the chart and define the terms conditions and germinate. Invite children to suggest answers to this question, drawing on ideas they have offered in the previous discussion. Refer to the About Plants chart. Some possible questions to extend the discussion: Do you think seeds need light or not in order to sprout? Do you think seeds need dirt or not to germinate? Do you think seeds need water or not to sprout? Do you think seeds will sprout in any temperature? Encourage children to cite evidence from experience by asking What makes you say that? as they offer ideas. Add any new ideas and questions to the About Plants chart. You have lots of ideas about what seeds need to start growing. Turn and talk: How might we test these ideas? Harvest some ideas. You’re going to set up some experiments to answer your questions about what seeds need to start growing. Everyone will use bean seeds, and we’ll start them in plastic bags so we can see what happens. These experiments will test the conditions needed for seeds to germinate or sprout, to start growing into a plant. Organize the work by assigning each group a different experiment. To the extent possible, each experiment should have only one variable. Some possibilities follow. ● Do seeds need dirt to sprout? Set up one bag with seeds and a paper towel, and another with seeds in dirt. Keep them both moist. Science & Engineering U4 W1 L3 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 ● Do seeds need light to sprout? Set up one bag in a dark place and another in a light-filled place. Keep both moist, and both with paper towels or with dirt. ● Do seeds need water to sprout? Set up two sets of seeds in plastic bags, one that will be watered and one that will be kept dry. Both should be with paper towels or with dirt, and in both in similar light conditions. ● Do seeds need warm (or cool) temperatures to sprout? Set up one set of seeds in a cool or cold location and one in a warm location. Keep them both moist, both with paper towels or with dirt, and both in similar light conditions. (If one bag will be in a refrigerator, the other should also be in a dark place.) In addition to setting up your experiments with seeds in bags, you’ll plant some seeds in containers with soil. Here are two procedures, one for starting your experiment seeds in plastic bags, and one for planting seeds in containers. Walk through the procedures as needed. Note that the plastic bag procedure will vary slightly, depending on the experiments children conduct. Make sure you label your plastic bags so we know which group each one belongs to and what the experiment is about. Show labels Once your experiments are set up, be sure to record them in your packets. Refer to the appropriate page in the packet. Investigation 13 minutes Send children in groups to set up their experiments. Circulate as children work, monitoring the experiment setup, checking that bags are properly labeled, and confirming locations for each plastic bag. Support children in recording their experiments in their packets. Discussion 5 minutes Gather children in the whole group. Ask each group to share the experiment they set up and what they think they will learn from it. Why did you decide to set up the experiment the way you did? What do you think might happen? Why do you think that? Closing Today we set up some experiments to test our ideas about what seeds need in order to germinate or start growing. You will be checking on the seeds every day. You have already recorded the Science & Engineering U4 W1 L3 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 setup of your experiment in your Science and Engineering packets. You’ll record any changes you notice, and next week you’ll all report on your experiments. Standards SL.2.1b. Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others. Science and Engineering Practice 3. Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Ongoing assessment Reflect on children’s work during the investigation and review their packets. How are children talking with each other about growing conditions? What do they already understand about seed germination? What misconceptions are revealed? How are children working together to set up their experiments? Do children have a clear purpose for their experiments? Notes Science & Engineering U4 W1 L3 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 Experiment labels: Copy enough to label all seed experiments; cut apart. Group: Experiment question: Conditions: Group: Experiment question: Conditions: Group: Experiment question: Conditions: Group: Experiment question: Conditions: Group: Experiment question: Conditions: Group: Experiment question: Conditions: Science & Engineering U4 W1 L3 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 Starting Seeds in Bags Materials ● 3 paper towels ● 1 small container of water ● 2 sandwich-size plastic bags ● 4 bean seeds Preparation Spread one paper towel on the workspace to keep it clean and dry. 1. Fold one paper towel to the size of your hand. 2. Dip your hand in the water. 5. Place the paper towel flat inside a bag. 3. Put your hand on the folded paper towel to get it a little bit wet. Keep doing this until the paper towel is damp but not soaking wet. 6. Place two beans on top of the paper towel inside the bag. Leave the bag open so air can circulate. 4. Fold the paper towel again so that it fits flat inside a plastic bag. 7. Repeat this process with another bag and seeds. You will have two bags with two seeds in each. 8. Label the bags. Science & Engineering U4 W1 L3 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2 Starting Seeds in Containers Materials: ● 4 small containers, with a hole punched on the bottom of each ● about 4 cups of dirt (enough to fill the containers) ● 4 saucers to place under the containers ● 4 soaked bean seeds ● 1 popsicle stick ● 1 cup or pitcher of water Preparation: Fill each pot with dirt. 1. Wet the soil in each pot. Make sure the soil is wet throughout. 2. Plant the seed just as deep as its size. (If you plant it too deep it might not germinate.) Mark the location of the seed with a popsicle stick. 3. Cover the seed with dirt and pat it gently. 4. Repeat the procedure three more times in three different containers. Do not mark these seeds with popsicle sticks. 5. Label the containers. Science & Engineering U4 W1 L3 Focus on Second | Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood P-2