Waltham Public Schools

WHS ESL 3 Curriculum Guide

Grades 9-12 College Prep 5 credits

This course is designed for ESL students at the intermediate/developing level of English proficiency. Students enrolled in ESL 3 concurrently enroll in their grade-level standard, curriculum English class. In ESL 3, students apply the skills and strategies needed to read for meaning in a second language, and are expected to actively use their cultural and first language knowledge in becoming more proficient critical thinkers. In line with the school’s focus on Project Based Learning, a variety of technology platforms will be used with curriculum embedded performance assessments and projects.

Unit	Timeframe	Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions)	Major Learning Experiences from Unit
Module 1: Identity and Stereotypes	Quarter 1	Who are you and what do you stand for? How can we contribute / make a welcoming class community to learn and grow together? What is your responsibility to make our community and world a better place? What is a stereotype? Why do you think people stereotype others? Where do we sometimes see stereotypes (e.g. magazines, television, movies, etc.)? What is the difference between stereotyping and prejudice? How can we overcome stereotypes and prejudice?	Students listen to and analyze a series of speeches and talks through videos about identity and stereotypes. They will make connections to their own lives and write about their experiences. Students will be able to: Write about themselves using descriptive language in present and past tenses Summarize main ideas and details of a talk and text Understand, make inferences about, and analyze main ideas and details of a text, with an emphasis on nonfiction/ informational text
Module 2: Social Justice	Quarter 2	How does lack of power affect individuals? How are prejudices and biases created? What factors shape our values and moral beliefs? What are my responsibilities in creating a more just community and world?	Students research and present about Leaders in social justice. They will also present information to the class in a speech about how to complete a task special to them. Students will be able to: Research, make a timeline, and write one complete biographical paragraph about a social justice leader/complete a Google Slide presentations that answers questions about their activist Write a Personal Narrative Essay with Description using the process writing approach, addressing one of the unit’s essential questions in your narrative. Write an informative paragraph of a process and present it to the class in a speech.
Module 3: Book Analysis	Quarter 3	How does our past impact our future? Why do people leave their homes to move/start over in a new country? How do our experiences influence our decisions? How can you be an engaged member of your community? What springs to mind when you hear the word “multiculturalism”? What are the benefits of expanding your worldview to include the knowledge of other cultures? How do we become a stronger community by learning with and from others who are both similar and different to us?	Students read and analyze one of the following novels: Seedfolks by Paul Fleischmann House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros or excerpts of Dear America:Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas. Students will be able to: Identify, define, and use new vocabulary words from the text Explain by paraphrasing the main idea and important details from the text Define and identify different literary techniques such as descriptive writing and figurative language Create a bonus chapter 14 outline through a Google Slide project and presentation Follow rubrics that includes but is not limited to correct uses of: subject and verb agreement, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and clearly speaking during a presentation
Module 4: Responsible and Informed Citizenship	Quarter 4	What does it mean to be a global citizen? How can we provide evidence to support a stance on different topics? How can we be a more informed global citizen to better our community? How can we broaden our perspectives when learning about different topics? How do you define responsible citizenship? What role does responsibility play in the digital world and beyond?	Students conduct a research project and participate in a debate advocating for an issue important to them. Students participate in various debate topics using claim, evidence, and reasoning for either pro or con. Students will be able to: Write an Argument Essay introducing and explaining precise claims. Make an argument and counter-argument and support it with evidence during class debates covering a range of various topics Conduct a conversation about these issues with classmates.