Voices of Change Scope and Sequence
Unit Curriculum Framework • 4-Week Block (20 Days)
Voices of Change: Ecology & Advocacy
Interdisciplinary English Language Development & Civic Science • Grade Band 6–8
WIDA 2020 Edition Aligned
Unit Summary & Big Ideas
Students investigate human impacts on local watersheds and community environments, progressing through personal narrative inquiries, empirical research, causal systems modeling, and evidence-based civic proposals for environmental justice.
Essential Questions
- How do ecological changes impact communities?
- How do we use data to advocate for systemic equity?
Four-Week Progression Across WIDA Key Language Uses
Week 1 • Days 1–5
Narrate
Personal & community stories; chronological sequencing & sensory reflection.
Week 2 • Days 6–10
Inform
Empirical water data reports, technical definitions, synthesis, & infographics.
Week 3 • Days 11–15
Explain
Causal mechanisms of pollution & health; conditional systems interactions.
Week 4 • Days 16–20
Argue
Civic policy proposals & town hall debates; claims, evidence, & rebuttals.
Standards Alignment & Benchmark Framework
| Standard Domain | Codes | Key Benchmark Expectations |
|---|
| WIDA ELD Standards | ELD-SC.6-8; ELD-SS.6-8 | Construct explanations of scientific phenomena; construct arguments with claims, evidence, and reasoning across interpretive and expressive modes. |
| CCSS ELA / Literacy | RI.7.1, W.7.1, SL.7.4 | Cite textual evidence; write structured arguments with logical reasoning; present claims with pertinent descriptions and clear sequencing. |
| NGSS Science | MS-ESS3-3, MS-LS2-4 | Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing human impact on natural systems. |
Culminating Performance Task
Community Environmental Justice Town Hall & Policy Brief
Students author a multi-modal policy brief and deliver a 3-minute persuasive speech presenting data-driven recommendations to a simulated City Council panel. Evaluated via WIDA interpretive/expressive rubrics.
Target Output Written & Oral Argument
Voices of Change • Scope & Sequence Curriculum Guide Page 1 of 4 • Unit Architecture & Alignment
Phase I: Narrative Exploration to Empirical Research
Week 1 (Narrate) & Week 2 (Inform) Progression
Days 1–10
Week 1: Narrating Human & Environmental Stories (KLU: Narrate)
Focus: Sequencing, Past Tense, Sensory Descriptors
| Day | Content & Language Objectives | Discourse & Lexical Targets | Instructional Sequence & Scaffolding | Formative Check |
|---|
| Day 1 | SWBAT identify community assets & articulate personal ties using sensory terms. | Watershed, canopy, ecosystem; "I observed...", "In my neighborhood..." | Photo gallery walk; asset mapping with bilingual word banks and partner sharing. | Asset Map & Observation |
| Day 2 | SWBAT sequence an elder's oral history about local water using temporal connectives. | Decades, transform, runoff; "Initially...", "Over time...", "Consequently..." | Listening cloze with recorded interview; collaborative timeline card sort with sentence frames. | Event Flow-Chart |
| Day 3 | SWBAT describe environmental degradation events using vivid verbs & past continuous. | Contaminate, erode, displace; "While the river was flowing...", "Factories were releasing..." | Mentor text analysis; color-coded verb tense deconstruction and guided co-writing. | Descriptive Paragraph |
| Day 4 | SWBAT draft an ecological narrative highlighting a critical turning point. | Turning point, crisis, resilience; "Everything shifted when...", "As a result..." | Story-mountain organizer with differentiated sentence starters; peer feedback triads. | Narrative Draft 1 |
| Day 5 | SWBAT publish and orally share an illustrated mini-narrative demonstrating fluency. | Reflection, stewardship; Expressive pauses, voice modulation, key emphasis. | Author's Chair circle; peer response stems ("I appreciated how you..."); audio voice note option. | Published Narrative |
Week 2: Informing with Scientific Data & Reports (KLU: Inform)
Focus: Technical Lexicon, Classification, Data Translation
| Day | Content & Language Objectives | Discourse & Lexical Targets | Instructional Sequence & Scaffolding | Formative Check |
|---|
| Day 6 | SWBAT classify water quality indicators using precise nominal groups & taxonomies. | pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrates; "Is categorized as...", "Consists of..." | Virtual lab simulation; interactive bilingual glossary with tactile vocabulary flashcards. | Classification Matrix |
| Day 7 | SWBAT interpret scientific bar charts & tables to describe numerical trends. | Surpass, fluctuate, steady rise; "According to Figure 2...", "Data indicates..." | See-Think-Wonder on EPA charts; math-to-text translation sentence strips. | Data Trend Summary |
| Day 8 | SWBAT synthesize findings from two informational articles into structured notes. | Impervious surfaces, particulate matter; "Both sources note...", "In contrast to..." | Paired reading protocol with leveled texts; dual-column synthesis note organizer. | Dual-Source Matrix |
| Day 9 | SWBAT write an objective informational summary of a local environmental threat. | Industrial discharge, urban drainage; "Pollutants are transported by..." | Mentor text deconstruction; shared writing of introductory thesis and definitions. | Informational Summary |
| Day 10 | SWBAT create an infographic combining captions, diagrams, and statistics. | Sub-heading, caption, callout; Concise factual labeling and imperative directives. | Infographic design workshop; layout template choices with icon banks & peer critique. | Completed Infographic |
Voices of Change • Scope & Sequence Curriculum Guide Page 2 of 4 • Weeks 1 & 2 Matrix (Narrate & Inform)
Phase II: Causal Systems Modeling to Civic Argumentation
Week 3 (Explain) & Week 4 (Argue) Progression
Days 11–20
Week 3: Explaining Ecological Causes & Effects (KLU: Explain)
Focus: Causal Connectives, Conditionals, Process Chains
| Day | Content & Language Objectives | Discourse & Lexical Targets | Instructional Sequence & Scaffolding | Formative Check |
|---|
| Day 11 | SWBAT explain the causal chain of urban heat islands using cause-effect connectors. | Thermal retention, albedo; "Because of...", "This leads to...", "Which results in..." | Thermal heat map analysis; domino causal chain mapping activity with logic cards. | Causal Chain Diagram |
| Day 12 | SWBAT explain bioaccumulation pathways using passive voice structures. | Bioaccumulation, toxicity; "Toxins are absorbed by...", "Energy is passed..." | Food web role-play; animated diagram tracking; structured sentence-combining drills. | Process Paragraph |
| Day 13 | SWBAT articulate conditional systems dynamics using "if/then" structures. | Mitigation, threshold; "If canopy increases by 20%, then temperatures drop..." | City planning sandbox; conditional clause substitution tables; scenario modeling. | Scenario Task Cards |
| Day 14 | SWBAT write a multi-paragraph explanation of a systemic environmental issue. | Root cause, cascading effect; "A primary mechanism behind...", "Furthermore..." | Explanatory framing guide; paragraph scaffolding with target transition menus. | Draft Explanatory Essay |
| Day 15 | SWBAT revise explanatory writing for logical coherence with a rubric. | Cohesion, clarity, precision; "Specifically...", "To illustrate this dynamic..." | Cohesion audit protocol; color-marking connectors; teacher conference stations. | Final Explanatory Essay |
Week 4: Arguing for Community Solutions (KLU: Argue)
Focus: Claims, Justification, Modal Verbs, Counter-Rebuttal
| Day | Content & Language Objectives | Discourse & Lexical Targets | Instructional Sequence & Scaffolding | Formative Check |
|---|
| Day 16 | SWBAT formulate an arguable policy claim with modal strength verbs. | Ordinance, allocate, mandate; "The council must require...", "We advocate..." | Claim strength spectrum sort (weak vs. arguable); formula template with peer testing. | Approved Policy Claim |
| Day 17 | SWBAT link empirical evidence to policy claims using reasoning stems. | Demonstrates, substantiate, warrant; "This proves that...", "Data underscores..." | CER puzzle strips; guided modeling connecting Week 2 data to Week 4 claims. | CER Argument Outline |
| Day 18 | SWBAT acknowledge opposing viewpoints and formulate a polite rebuttal. | Counterclaim, constraint; "While critics argue...", "However, research shows..." | Devil's Advocate structured debate; concessive transitional frame cards. | Counter-Argument Draft |
| Day 19 | SWBAT finalize policy briefs and rehearse persuasive speech delivery. | Urgency, stakeholders; Pacing, vocal inflection, rhetorical questions. | Paired speed-rehearsal with peer timing rubric; pronunciation coaching clinic. | Policy Brief & Cue Cards |
| Day 20 | SWBAT deliver a 3-min oral presentation in a simulated Town Hall. | Public testimony; Formal register, respectful address to panel, decisive conclusions. | Simulated Town Hall; panel evaluators; live Q&A defense; peer evaluation debrief. | Town Hall Speech & Rubric |
Voices of Change • Scope & Sequence Curriculum Guide Page 3 of 4 • Weeks 3 & 4 Matrix (Explain & Argue)
Instructional Equity & Support Systems
WIDA Differentiation & Assessment Architecture
Levels 1–6
WIDA Proficiency Level Scaffolding Matrix
WIDA Level 1–2 Entering / Emerging
- Sensory / Visual: Illustrated bilingual word walls, labeled diagrams, concrete objects.
- Syntactic Support: Fill-in-the-blank sentence frames with word banks; cloze notes.
- Expressive Tasks: Pointing, matching, labeling, single-phrase oral responses, draw-and-tell.
WIDA Level 3–4 Developing / Expanding
- Graphic Organizers: Causal flow-charts, Venn diagrams, CER structured matrices.
- Syntactic Support: Paragraph frames with connector menus (e.g., furthermore, as a result).
- Expressive Tasks: Structured compound-complex sentences, paired debates, short oral reports.
WIDA Level 5–6 Bridging / Reaching
- Cognitive Scaffolds: Nuanced mentor texts, peer editing rubrics, counter-argument models.
- Syntactic Support: Focus on nominalization, passive voice, and rhetorical persuasion.
- Expressive Tasks: Independent multi-page briefs, town hall cross-examination defenses.
Key Language Use Anchor Frames
| Key Language Use | Developing / Expanding Sentence Frames | Bridging / Academic Discourse Stems |
|---|
| Narrate | "When the [event] happened, our community experienced [impact] because..." | "Historical accounts underscore that during the initial expansion of [facility], residents witnessed..." |
| Inform | "The chart illustrates that water turbidity increased from [X] to [Y] between [Year] and [Year]." | "Quantitative data synthesized across EPA benchmarks reveals a marked escalation in..." |
| Explain | "If impervious surfaces increase, then stormwater runoff carries contaminants directly into..." | "The degradation of wetland buffers functions as a primary catalyst, thereby accelerating downstream..." |
| Argue | "We urge city leaders to [action] because evidence demonstrates that [reason]." | "Notwithstanding budgetary concerns, the implementation of [policy] represents the most equitable intervention..." |
Multi-Dimensional Assessment & Monitoring Protocol
Daily Formative Checks
Exit tickets, graphic organizers, and verbal check-ins graded with single-point rubrics focused on target language functions.
Weekly Benchmark Tasks
End-of-week published artifacts (Narrative, Infographic, Causal Essay, Policy Brief) demonstrating cumulative linguistic growth.
Summative Performance
Town Hall speech and policy brief scored using WIDA interpretive and expressive criteria (Discourse, Sentence, & Word dimensions).
Voices of Change • Scope & Sequence Curriculum Guide Page 4 of 4 • Differentiation & Assessment Architecture
