Planning Science Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals

This practical resource takes educators through a planning process—from selecting standards to designing learning activities—that weaves together language, literacy, and science in ways that are responsive to emergent bilinguals. Drawing on extensive and current research, the authors show how secondary educators can use students' own language and lived experiences, coupled with authentic science practices, to provide rich and relevant language support. Using a science unit as a shared text, readers will learn how to gather rich knowledge about emergent bilinguals, unpack the ideas and language demands of Next Generation Science Standards, strategically embed language and literacy standards in the curriculum, and sequence learning activities around an anchoring phenomenon, a text, and an assessment. In the process, readers will come away with a repertoire of planning tools and examples of how to support emergent bilinguals in using language to collaborate with others and to interpret and produce texts that are central to learning and doing science. Planning Science Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals blends theory and practice so readers understand both how and why this planning process can be used to disrupt social inequity for emergent bilinguals.

Book Features:

• Describes intentional decisions that educators can make when planning a science unit or learning experience.
• Shows how to weave together Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core English Language Arts Standards, and language development.
• Provides a model unit about kelp forest ecosystems to illustrate how theory is translated into practice.
• Demonstrates how to use emergent bilinguals’ assets (linguistic skills, family experiences, personal interests) to create engaging science instruction.
• Provides a set of planning tools, including both blank templates and completed examples, to guide educators through the planning process.

Edward G. Lyon is associate professor and chair of the Department of Curriculum Studies and Secondary Education at Sonoma State University. Kelly M. Mackura is a science teacher at the Cesar Chavez Language Academy, Santa Rosa, California.

“Thanks to Edward Lyon and Kelly Mackura’s conceptually rich and highly practical book, teachers—at any stage of their career—can see what it might look like to plan language support for multilingual learners that keeps disciplinary content, concepts, and practices at the heart of science instruction.”
—From the Foreword by George C. Bunch, University of California, Santa Cruz

“Current research at the intersection of science learning and language learning highlights a wide range of supportive and effective practices that benefit multilingual learners and all students. Lyon and Mackura have provided a clear and practical guide for educators looking to both understand and apply these practices in their classrooms.”
—Cory Buxton, professor and program chair for STEM education, College of Education, Oregon State University

“This remarkable book infuses core science teaching practices with the real-world needs of emergent bilinguals. A wonderful starting point for new teachers, this book will also support collaborative planning among educators devoted to improving science learning for all students.”
—John Settlage, professor, science teacher education, University of Connecticut

Contents

Foreword George C. Bunch  xi

Introduction  1

Part I: Foundations for Teaching Science to Emergent Bilinguals

1.  Reenvisioning Science Teaching for Emergent Bilinguals  9
Emergent Bilinguals in PK–12 Science Classrooms  9
Next Generation Science Standards and Why They Matter for Emergent Bilinguals  11
Science Teacher Learning Through Core Teaching Practices  16
Concluding Reminders  17

2.  A Research Primer for Integrating Science Learning With Language and Literacy Development for Emergent Bilinguals  18
Theoretical Foundations for Integrating Science With Language and Literacy Development for Emergent Bilinguals  19
Language Demands and Rethinking the Notion of “Academic Language”  20
Translanguaging and the Fluidity of Language Use  24
The Secondary Science Teaching With English Language and Literacy Acquisition (SSTELLA) Framework  25
Concluding Reminders  28

3.  Ecosystem Interactions and Resources: A Sample Unit to Illustrate the Planning Process  29
Student and Curricular Context  29
Unit-Level Planning  30
Planning a Conceptual and Linguistic Progression  32
Concluding Reminders  36

Part II: Unit-Level Planning

4.  Knowing Your Emergent Bilingual Students and Their Families  41
Understanding Emergent Bilinguals as a Diverse Student Group  41
Planning Tool 1: Knowing Your Emergent Bilinguals and Their Families  42
Concluding Reminders  49

5.  Unpacking the Next Generation Science Standards and Curricular Resources  50
Understanding Your Curricular Context  50
Planning Tool 2: Unpacking the Next Generation Science Standards and Curricular Resources  51
Concluding Reminders  56

6.  Weaving Common Core English Language Arts and English Language Development Into Next Generation Science Standards  57
Common Core English Language Arts (ELA) Standards  57
English Language Development (ELD) Standards  59
Planning Tool 3: Weaving Together ELA/ELD Standards and NGSS  61
Differentiating ELA/ELD Standards by Knowing Your Emergent Bilinguals  64
Concluding Reminders  65

7.  Anchoring the Unit With Phenomena, Texts, and Assessment  66
Moving From Standards and Big Ideas to Phenomena, Texts, and Assessment  66
Planning Tool 4: Framing the Unit Through Rich and Relevant Phenomena, Texts, and Assessment  67
Concluding Reminders  77

Part III: Planning a Conceptual and Linguistic Progression of Learning

8.  Connecting a Conceptual Progression to Language and Literacy  81
From Standards and Anchors to a Conceptual Progression  81
Planning Tool 6: Analyzing the Anchor Text  83
Planning Tool 7: Unpacking the Unit’s Science-Specific Language Demands  87
From Analysis of Text and Language Demands to a Linguistic Progression of Learning  90
Concluding Reminders  90

9.  Interpretive Language Progression  91
Planning an Interpretive Language Progression  91
Noticing and Wondering About the Anchor Phenomenon  92
Identifying Key Features of the Anchor Phenomenon  93
Watching a Video Closely to Introduce Key Concepts  94
Make Sense of Key Vocabulary From a Text  96
Identifying Key Ideas From the Anchor Text  97
Using Leveled Inquiry Questions to Analyze Patterns and Trends  99
Citing Evidence for the Culminating Assessment Activity  101
Concluding Interpretive Language Reminders  102

10.  Collaborative Language Progression  104
Planning a Collaborative Language Progression  104
Pair-Shares and Intentional Grouping  105
Time to Think and Write  106
Collaboration Boards  106
Science Talks for Collaborative Thinking and Sharing  107
From Group Work to Collaborative Inquiry  108
Targeting Collaborative Language in the Culminating Assessment Activity  111
Concluding Collaborative Language Reminders  111

11.  Productive Language Progression  113
Planning a Productive Language Progression  113
Setting Up for Productive Language Through Interactive Science Notebooks  114
Developing and Using Vocabulary for Productive Language  115
Producing Written Analyses and Interpretations From a Science Article  116
Producing Graphs, Data Analyses, and Data Interpretations  118
Supporting “How Language Works”  120
Drafting, Revising, and Sharing Texts  122
Concluding Productive Language Reminders  124

Conclusion: Strengthening Science Instructional Planning for Emergent Bilinguals Through Collaboration  126
Collaboration Between Science Teachers and University Researchers/Teacher Educators  127
Collaboration Between Science Teachers and English Language Arts and English Language Development Teachers  128
Collaboration Between Mentor Science Teachers and Science Teacher Candidates  128
Collaboration Between Science Teachers and Families/Caregivers and Their Students  129

Appendix A: Sample Ecosystem Interactions and Resources Lesson Plans  131

Appendix B: Additional Unit Frames and Student Resources  137

Appendix C: Blank Forms for Unit and Lesson Planning  152

References  163

Index  167

About the Authors  173