In this science-based unit, students explore the world of energy. In the first half of the unit students learn what energy is, the different ways that energy is transferred from place to place, and the ways energy can be converted from one type to another. In the second half of the unit students explore the pros and cons of different types of renewable and nonrenewable energy. After learning about the different types of energy, students will grapple with what the world’s energy future will look like if more renewable solutions aren’t found, particularly in their communities. Through a combination of reading and research, it is our hope that students begin to build a deeper understanding of energy and its influence on our lives.

This unit builds on to the informational reading skills and strategies developed in previous units. At this point in the year we assume that students are able to actively read and annotate informational texts in order to build understanding of a topic. Therefore, the focus of this unit is on refining students’ ability to use different strategies to comprehend denser scientific texts. In particular, students will continue working on determining the main idea, summarizing key details, explaining cause and effect, using text features to improve understanding, and explaining how an author uses text features to elaborate on key concepts and ideas.

EL Education does not provide a discrete character education program because we believe that character is not separate from scholarship: character education happens all day long. Explicit focus on character, reflection on character, and critique of character is present in every part of school, whether students are in hallways or in classes. School leaders and staff model positive character in all settings, in front of students and apart from students. Schools embrace the Structure of Crew and the Spirit of Crew: everyone thinking and working to help others in a team approach all day long.

Composition 2 is an expository writing course requiring more advanced writing skills than Composition 1, yet reviewing and incorporating some of the same skills. This course teaches research skills by emphasizing the development of advanced analytical/critical reading skills, proficiency in investigative research, and the writing of persuasive prose including documented and researched argumentative essays. A major component of this course will be an emphasis on the research process and information literacy.

As of April 16, 2021, about 37.1% of Chicago residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But the question is: WHO is getting vaccinated? In this unit, students will identify inequities in vaccine distribution in Chicago and then explore why these inequities exist. Students will then work to take action to address these inequities.

In this lesson, students read pages 4-22, "Las Uvas," in Esperanza Rising and as a whole group identify how the structure of the chapter contributes to the overall story (RL.5.1, RL.5.5).
In triads, students then research one of three topics to build background knowledge about the historical setting of Esperanza Rising. Working in expert groups allows small groups to engage in an effective, time-efficient comprehension of a broader topic because students become an expert in one topic and hear oral summaries of the others to gain an understanding of the broader topic.
This lesson is the first in a series of three that include built-out instruction for the use of Goal 1 Conversation Cues. Conversation Cues are questions teachers can ask students to promote productive and equitable conversation (adapted from Michaels, Sarah and O'Connor, Cathy. Talk Science Primer. Cambridge, MA: TERC, 2012. Based on Chapin, S., O'Connor, C., and Anderson, N. [2009]. Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades K-6. Second Edition. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications). Goal 1 Conversation Cues encourage all students to talk and be understood. As the modules progress, Goal 2, 3, and 4 Conversation Cues are gradually introduced. See the Tools page for the complete set of cues. Consider providing students with a thinking journal or scrap paper. Examples of the Goal 1 Conversation Cues you will see in the next two units are (with expected responses):
After any question that requires thoughtful consideration:
"I'll give you time to think and write or sketch."

"I'll give you time to discuss this with a partner."

To help students share, expand, and clarify thoughts:
"Can you say more about that?"

"Sure. I think that _____."

"Can you give an example?"

"OK. One example is _____."

"So, do you mean _____?"

"You've got it./No, sorry, that's not what I mean. I mean _____."

Note that Goal 1 Conversation Cues (and expected student responses) were built into the Discussion Norms anchor chart in Lesson 1. Conversation Cues and discussion norms are similar in that they seek to foster productive and collaborative conversation. Furthermore, Conversation Cues aim to ensure equitable conversation by gradually building student capacity to become productive, collaborative participants. Goal 1 Conversation Cues focus on the fundamentals of encouraging students to talk and be understood. Goals 2-4 take students to deeper levels of conversation, from listening to others, to deepening their thinking, to thinking with others.
Students practice their fluency in this lesson by following along and reading silently in their heads as the teacher reads pages 4-22 of Esperanza Rising aloud during Opening A.
In this lesson, the habit of character focus is on working to become an ethical person. The characteristic that students practice is respect, as volunteers share out personal reflections on what happened in Esperanza Rising.
The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to human rights. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

In this video, students learn about the life of Ethel Payne, the second Black woman to be a member of the White House Press Corps. In her position,Payne asked the questions others didn’t, and brought civil rights issues to a national audience. Her coverage of the Civil Rights Movement and international affairs, brought Black people’s experiences to the front page.

This video was made in conjunction with Makematic.

With so many people getting their news from their social media newsfeed, how can they evaluate what is good and what might be fake? With the help of a Youtube video on the subject, student do some evaluating. This lesson is part of a media unit curated at our Digital Citizenship website, "Who Am I Online?"

Students will learn how to evaluate a website while using a HyperDoc in a group task. Hyperdocs are interactive digital documents that may easily be edited by a teacher.

The central failure of the Congress was related to its limited fiscal power. Because it could not impose taxes on the states, the national government's authority and effectiveness was severely limited. Given this major encumbrance, the accomplishments of the Congress were quite impressive. First of all, it raised the Continental Army, kept it in the field, and managed to finance the war effort.

In this lesson, students will learn about a topic in three different text formats. They will then evaluate each format to determine the pros and cons. Students will also assess the credibility of each text.

Engaging students in their education is not always easy. One way is to give them the opportunity to be involved in school event decision making processes. Providing them with a task, having them poll their peers, and then using the analyzed data to inform their decisions is sure to keep them engaged.

Students will analyze and compare census data on the education levels of African-Americans in 1850 and in 1880. Students will also discuss how historical events can affect data.

In this activity, students will explore two given websites to gather information on Bone Mineral Density and how it is measured. They will also learn about X-rays in general, how they work and their different uses, along with other imaging modalities. They will answer guiding questions as they explore the websites and take a short quiz after to test the knowledge they gained while reading the articles.

In this unit students explore immigration by reading a series of narrative nonfiction and fiction texts that highlight the experiences of early and recent immigrants. In the first part of the unit students are pushed to notice and think about the different reasons people choose to leave their homes and settle in a new community or country. Students will then be pushed to think about the different memories, cultural traits, goods, ideas, languages, and skills that individuals and families bring with them when they move to a new place and how these characteristics enrich the community. While students are exposed to a wide variety of immigrant experiences over the course of the unit, not every experience or feeling about immigration is captured in this unit. Because many of our students are first- or second-generation immigrants, it is crucial to be sensitive to and respect the varying experiences and feelings of our students and families. It is our hope that this unit, in connection with others, will help students build sensitivity and empathy for varying cultures and experiences within the United States.

In this unit students explore immigration by reading a series of narrative nonfiction and fiction texts that highlight the experiences of early and recent immigrants. In the first part of the unit students are pushed to notice and think about the different reasons people choose to leave their homes and settle in a new community or country. Students will then be pushed to think about the different memories, cultural traits, goods, ideas, languages, and skills that individuals and families bring with them when they move to a new place and how these characteristics enrich the community. While students are exposed to a wide variety of immigrant experiences over the course of the unit, not every experience or feeling about immigration is captured in this unit. Because many of our students are first- or second-generation immigrants, it is crucial to be sensitive to and respect the varying experiences and feelings of our students and families. It is our hope that this unit, in connection with others, will help students build sensitivity and empathy for varying cultures and experiences within the United States.

In this unit, students study the rovers Spirit and Opportunity and their remarkable missions to Mars. Through a combination of reading, analyzing images and photographs, and participating in engineering and design labs, students will begin to understand the complexity, preparation, and diligence involved in space missions. Students will grapple with why the engineering and design process, particularly continually planning, trying, and evaluating, is a crucial part of a successful mission. This unit also allows students to make connections between content learned in math and content learned in previous science units, solidifying the importance and value of STEM. It is our hope that this unit inspires students to explore engineering and STEM not only in space but in the world around them.

In this unit, students build their skills in consuming scientific and technical texts. Students will practice explaining the connection between two or more scientific ideas or concepts in a text. Additionally, students will be challenged to draw on and integrate information from two or more texts in order to describe a scientific idea, concept, or process in depth. This unit also continues the study of point of view and analyzing how the point of view influences what and how information is presented to a reader. The Mighty Mars Rover is written to captivate and engage a reader, while the NASA press releases are written to inform the public of the progress and findings of the Mars rover missions. Students will be challenged to compare and contrast the point of view of each text and the strategies each author uses based on the point of view and desired audience. Since this is the culminating unit of the course, all other informational standards will be spiraled throughout the unit.

Exploring Movie Construction & Production contains eight chapters of the major areas of film construction and production. The discussion covers theme, genre, narrative structure, character portrayal, story, plot, directing style, cinematography, and editing. Important terminology is defined and types of analysis are discussed and demonstrated. An extended example of how a movie description reflects the setting, narrative structure, or directing style is used throughout the book to illustrate building blocks of each theme. This approach to film instruction and analysis has proved beneficial to increasing students’ learning, while enhancing the creativity and critical thinking of the student.

Introduction and use of multiple tools in Seesaw in order to improve expressive language and intelligibility skills for speech and language students.