sample classroom tasks • learning experience -...

Intermediate Grades 5 – 8

• Learning Standards and Performance Indicators

• Sample Classroom Tasks

• Learning Experience

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English as a Second Language

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Intermediate 59

STANDARD 1:Students will listen, speak, read, and write in English forinformation and understanding.Students learning English as a second language will use English to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit informationfor content area learning and personal use. They will develop and use skills and strategies appropriate to their level ofEnglish proficiency to collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and useknowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts.

60 Learning Standards for ESL

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ESL Performance Indicators1

Listening (L) Speaking (S) Reading (R) Writing (W)

Standard 1: Performance Indicators1. Identify and use reading and listening strategies to

make text comprehensible and meaningful. Such strategies include skimming; scanning; previewing;reviewing; discussing; listening selectively; listening for aspecific purpose; listening for main ideas and details;note taking; using structural and context clues, cognates,format, sequence, and an understanding of letter-soundrelationships to decode difficult words. (L, R)

2. Read, gather, view, listen to, organize, discuss,interpret, and analyze information related toacademic content areas from various sources. Such sources include nonfiction books for young adults,reference books, magazines, textbooks, the Internet,databases, audio and media presentations, oral inter-views, charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams. (L, S, R, W)

3. Select information appropriate to the purpose ofthe investigation, relate ideas from one written orspoken source to another, and exclude nonessential information. (L, S, R, W)

4. Compare, contrast, categorize, and synthesize togain a deeper understanding of information andobjects. (L, S, R, W)

5. Formulate, ask, and respond to various questionforms to obtain, clarify, and extend informationand meaning. (L, S, R, W)

6. Make and support inferences about informationand ideas with reference to features in oral andwritten text. Such features include vocabulary, format, facts,sequence, and relevance of details. (L, S, R, W)

7. Present information clearly in a variety of oral andwritten forms for different audiences and purposesrelated to all academic content areas. Such forms include paraphrases, summaries, stories,reports, essays, posters, charts, and other graphics. (S, W)

8. Select a focus, organization, and point of view fororal and written presentations, and justify thisselection. (S, W)

9. Convey and organize information, using facts,details, illustrative examples, and a variety ofpatterns and structures. Such patterns and structures include chronological order,cause and effect, problem and solution, and general-to-specific presentation. (S, W)

10. Distinguish between fact and opinion, and relevantand irrelevant information, and exclude nonessen-tial information in oral and written presentations. (L, S, R, W)

11. Use the process of prewriting, drafting, revising,peer editing, and proofreading (the “writingprocess”) to produce well-constructedinformational texts. (L, S, R, W)

12. Convey information and ideas through spoken andwritten language, using conventions and featuresof American English appropriate to audience andpurpose. Such spoken language features include appropriategrammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, intonation, and awide variety of sentence structures. Such writtenlanguage features include appropriate grammar,vocabulary, correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization,paragraphing, and a wide variety of sentence structures.(L, S, R, W)

13. Engage in collaborative activities through a varietyof student groupings to read, gather, share,discuss, interpret, organize, analyze, and presentinformation. Such groupings include small groups, cooperative learn-ing groups, process writing groups, cross-age groups,research groups, and interest groups. (L, S, R, W)

14. Consult print and nonprint resources (e.g.,audio/visual media, family) in the native languagewhen needed. (L, S, R)

15. Apply self-monitoring and self-correcting strategiesfor accurate language production and oral andwritten presentation, using established criteria foreffective presentation of information. Such strategies include referring to illustrations, askingquestions, starting over, rephrasing, and exploringalternative ways of saying things. (L, S, R, W)

16. Apply learning strategies to acquire informationand make texts comprehensible and meaningful. Such strategies include using prior knowledge, graphicorganizers, and context clues; planning; note taking;inferencing; questioning; exploring cognates and rootwords; and applying ideas to new settings orexperiences. (L, S, R, W)

Intermediate Classroom Tasks 61

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ESL STANDARD 1Intermediate

Sample Classroom Tasks in ESL by English Proficiency Level

Beginning Intermediate Advanced

Teacher shows brief timeline of her life.Students use a graphic organizer (e.g.,wheel) to brainstorm important events intheir lives (e.g., moving, starting school).They choose at least five events from theirown lives, place these events on a timeline,and select one event and write a shortdescription of it. Timelines and descrip-tions are posted in classroom.Performance indicators: 3, 7

Students use Beginning brainstorming andtimeline task. They interview family mem-bers to expand the timeline with eventssuch as their first word or first steps andearly interesting experiences. Students pre-sent timelines to class. Peers comment onmost surprising/interesting events. Eachstudent selects one significant event fromhis/her life and writes a brief description ofit and an explanation of why it was mem-orable.Performance indicators: 3, 5, 7, 9

Students use Intermediate interview dataand timeline presentations. Classmates takenotes on student presentations. Studentsuse notes to write follow-up questions tothe student presenter about particularevents. Student presenters then conductfollow-up family interviews based on thesequestions and use their findings to create ashort autobiography, including pictures orillustrations, to be shared with the class anddisplayed in the class library. Performance indicators: 3, 5, 7, 9, 14

TASK 1

Students peruse Zoo Books and choose ananimal to investigate. Class brainstorms avocabulary list of the parts of an animal.Students in small groups make a largedrawing of their animal and label it.Teacher posts labeled pictures in the class-room.Performance indicators: 2, 7

Students peruse Zoo Books, choose an ani-mal, and list five to ten facts extracted frompictures and text. Then they draw and labeltheir animal and use facts to write twoquestions and answers about the animal.Students exchange pictures and questions,and writer supplies reference material orcorrect answers when necessary. Studentscheck answers, using classroom referencematerials.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 5, 7

Students peruse Zoo Books and choose ananimal. They record what they know andwhat they want to know on a KWL charton their animal. Using at least two sourcesor the Internet, students answer the ques-tions from their “Want to Know” column ina brief report. They find pictures on theInternet to illustrate their research, and usethem to make overheads, slides, orPowerPoint presentation for a primary-grade class.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7,12, 16

TASK 2


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Teacher shares picture book on the socialstudies topic of exploration (e.g., the Ageof Exploration), and then talks about thepictures, particularly people. Using the keyvocabulary as a basis, students construct abulletin board that maps various explorers’voyages. The class uses the bulletin boardto prompt a discussion of these voyagesand of the lives and personal characteristicsof the explorers.Performance Indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7

Teachers and students discuss concepts ofexploration using pictures, textbook, orpicture books (see Beginning task). Afterreading about the Age of Exploration, stu-dents assume the character of an importantfigure from the age and write one or morediary entries about an important life expe-rience (diary entries by Lewis and Clarkserve as examples). Students read theirentries to the class, and the class guessesthe character’s identity.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 15

After generating a student-made rubric forevaluating a research report, students inpairs or small groups choose a significantperson or event from the Age ofExploration, research the topic in books orthrough the Internet, and write a report tobe shared in class. Students self-assess, cit-ing evidence and justifying rubric score.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9,11, 15, 16

TASK 3

Class generates a list of questions aboutcareer plans for paired interviews with aclassmate. Teacher offers books and othermaterials on careers as resources. Studentsinterview partners about their career inter-ests. Interests are shared in class. The classcollaborates to create various bar graphsbased on such themes as career prefer-ences, reasons for preferences, educa-tion/training/experience necessary forcareer preferences. Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 5, 13

Class discusses issues of career choice andpreparation. Together, students generate alist of personal questions for interviewingan adult about his/her career choice (e.g.,education needed for the career, careergoals). Students interview someone fromtheir native country and afterward sharewhat they found out with the class. Theywrite a short report on the career, notingwhat was surprising, interesting, and infor-mative about the interviewee or career.Reports are posted on career bulletinboard.Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10,15

Students complete the Intermediate task.After oral reports are completed, studentsselect several interesting careers for furtherstudy and organize a “career day.” Studentsdivide into groups and each group selectsa career to present. Students invite a guestspeaker representing their group’s careerfield. They present other information (e.g.,social need for career, salary, education/training/skills required, working condi-tions) about the career via charts, over-heads, etc. Then they research the selectedtopic and write a letter back to the inter-viewee that summarizes the informationfrom the interview, includes new informa-tion about the researched topic, and asksfollow-up questions if appropriate. Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10,12, 13, 15, 16

TASK 4


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Students cut out pictures of foods frommagazines and newspapers. They label thepictures with teacher assistance. Studentsproduce a list of the foods their familiesfrequently buy at the grocery store.Students are given two blank copies offood pyramids and the teacher explainshow a food pyramid is organized. On thefirst pyramid, students write in the foodsthey eat most often from their native lands.On the second copy, the whole class writesin the “American” food pyramid. Classcompares and contrasts the kinds of foodsthey ate in their native country with thoseeaten in the U.S. Performance indicators: 3, 5, 12

In pairs or small groups, students selecttheir favorite foods from the school cafete-ria, analyze their nutritional contentthrough information gathered on theInternet, and summarize their findings onbar graphs. Each group prepares abrochure showing pictures of the cafeteriafood, with nutritional information attached.Students write a description of the dish,and their opinion as to taste.Performance indicators: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10,15, 16

Students complete Intermediate task. Afterresearching information on optimal nutri-tional meals, students discuss what kinds offood they need to be eating at mealtimes inorder to have a balanced diet. Studentsdevelop a recommended weekly diet fromfoods researched in the class. Students tryto follow the diet for a week, keeping ajournal of what they eat, and report back toclass on their success. Class may chartnutritional intake of students and discussways of improving their normal diets.Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8,13, 14, 15

TASK 5

STANDARD 2:Students will listen, speak, read, and write in English for literaryresponse, enjoyment, and expression.Students learning English as a second language will use English for self-expression, artistic creation, and participationin popular culture. They will develop and use skills and strategies appropriate to their level of English proficiency tolisten to, read, and respond to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances, relate texts andperformances to their own lives and other works, and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, andcultural dimensions the texts and performances represent.


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Standard 2: Performance Indicators1. Read, listen to, view, write about, and discuss texts

and performances from a wide range of authors,subjects, and genres. Such sources include picture books, myths, fables,poems, stories, plays, novels, and other fiction and non-fiction texts in authentic and modified forms, includingworks of American popular culture. (L, S, R, W)

2. Identify and use reading and listening strategies tomake literary text comprehensible and meaningful. Such strategies include skimming, scanning, previewing,reviewing, listening selectively, listening for a specificpurpose, and listening for main ideas and details. (L, R)

3. Identify and explain the distinguishing features ofthe major genres, and use those features to aidcomprehension, interpretation, and discussion ofliterature. (L, S, R, W)

4. Locate and identify selected literary elements andtechniques in texts and relate those elements tothose in other works and to students’ ownexperiences. Such elements include setting, character, plot, theme,point of view, repetition, characterization, imagery,foreshadowing, and climax. (L, S, R, W)

5. Make predictions, inferences, and deductions, anddescribe different levels of meaning of literaryworks presented orally and in written form,including literal and implied meanings. Strategies include summarizing; explaining; andidentifying word choice, point of view, and symbols.(L, S, R, W)

6. Read aloud with confidence, accuracy, andfluency. (S, R)

7. Compose and present personal and formalresponses to and interpretations of publishedliterary works and the work of peers, referring todetails and features of text. Such features include characters, setting, plot, ideas,events, vocabulary, and text structure. (L, S, R, W)

8. Create stories, poems, songs, and plays, includingthose that reflect traditional and popular Americanculture, observing the conventions of the genre;create an effective voice, using a variety of writingstyles appropriate to different audiences, purposes,and settings. (S, W)

9. Engage in collaborative activities through a varietyof student groupings to create and respond toliterature. Such groupings include small groups, cooperative learn-ing groups, literature circles, and process writing groups.(L, S, R, W)

10. Create, discuss, interpret, and respond to literaryworks, using appropriate and effective vocabulary,grammar, spelling, and punctuation in writing, andusing appropriate vocabulary, grammar, andpronunciation in speaking. (L, S, R, W)

11. Apply self-monitoring and self-correcting strategieswhile reading, viewing, discussing, listening to, orproducing literary texts and essays. Such strategies include asking questions, starting over,rephrasing, and exploring alternative ways of sayingthings. (L, S, R, W)

12. Apply learning strategies to comprehend andmake inferences about literature and produceliterary responses. Such strategies include asking questions, using priorknowledge, graphic organizers, and context clues;planning; note taking; and exploring cognates and rootwords. (L, S, R, W)


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Students listen to one or two versions ofThe Three Little Pigs. They retell one of theversions, using a storyboard, and togetherthey create a new ending. Teacher writesnew ending on newsprint for students toreview later.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 8, 9

Students read The Three Little Pigs and TheTrue Story of the Three Little Pigs (the latterpresents the wolf’s point of view). Theyanswer questions in writing such as “Whodo you believe, and why?” In small groups,they share answers and discuss differences.Students divide up according to differentpoints of view, and debate accordingly. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9,10, 11, 12

Students read The Three Little Pigs, TheTrue Story of the Three Little Pigs, and LittleRed Riding Hood. Pairs of students taketurns role-playing a conversation in a dinerbetween the wolves from the three stories.Teacher provides dialogue starters (e.g.,“You won’t believe what happened to me,”“I am so frustrated because …”) and guide-lines (e.g., express feelings, provide detailsof story, ask follow-up questions). Afterrole-plays, students write dialogue betweenthe three little pigs and Little Red RidingHood for performance in another class. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9,10, 11, 12

TASK 1

Students read, listen to, or view a fictionand a nonfiction piece (including picturebooks) on a similar topic (e.g., The Lionand the Mouse and a text on lions; LittleRed Riding Hood and a text on wolves).Using a Venn diagram or other graphic, stu-dents compare the treatment of the topic inthe fiction and nonfiction pieces (e.g., theylook at how the authors portray lions).Lists, with picture cues, of genre character-istics are posted on bulletin board forfuture reference.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 12

Students complete the Beginning task, thencompare/contrast other works of fictionand nonfiction they find in the schoollibrary, focusing on particular genres ofinterest. They write a brief opinion onwhich genre they like best and explainwhy, using evidence from the texts. Theyshare their opinions with the class. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 12

Students complete Intermediate task. Theyform two groups based on genre prefer-ence. Groups present an argument fortheir preference, using the characteristics ofthe genre as support. With a partner, stu-dents write a persuasive letter to the schoollibrarian or editor of the school paper, giv-ing their opinions on the material availablein the library and recommendations ifappropriate (such as arguing for a strongeremphasis on one or more genres). Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 12

TASK 2

Class draws up a list of titles of stories andpoems previously read. Then they generatea list of various genres of fiction in English(e.g., poetry, myths, science fiction, plays)with basic definitions and attach appropri-ate labels to the list of materials read. Classcreates a chart of the titles, genres, andtheir definitions/descriptions, and posts itin the classroom. As a whole class, studentsmaintain a chart of examples of various lit-erary elements from texts along with titlesthat they read or hear throughout the year.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 4, 12

Teacher provides definitions and someexamples of literary elements (e.g.,metaphor, foreshadowing, dialect, rhyme,meter, irony). As a whole class, studentsread a fictional piece (e.g., The LittlePrince, The Pearl) and identify examples ofliterary elements. Students complete a webmap for each of these elements, usingexamples from the text.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 4, 12

Students individually choose a work offiction and identify examples of literaryelements on an individual chart or in theirreading logs. They compare the use ofthese elements in their individual readingto the use of the elements in the text readby the whole class during class discussionsor in reading circles.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 4, 11, 12

TASK 3


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Teacher reads some simpler fables (e.g.,Leonni, Aesop, Steig, Noble) aloud to stu-dents and uses one or more story mapswith students to identify characters, setting,problem, and solution. In small groups,students brainstorm author’s intendedmoral.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 5

Students complete Beginning task. Teacherreads a new fable but stops before the end-ing. Each student writes an original endingfor the fable. Teacher continues reading thefable. Students discuss the author’smoral/lesson and then compare their end-ings with the author’s. They criticallyanalyze the elements of the genre (moral,animal messenger).Performance indicators: 1, 3, 5, 8

Students complete Intermediate task. Theyselect a fable from their culture to presentto the class or they write an original fable,selecting an animal and a problem. Theyillustrate four critical scenes from the fablefor presentation. They practice presentationwith ESL classmates and when ready, for-mally present the fable to other smallgroups (e.g., younger students, invitedguests). The class publishes an anthologyof their fables.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10,11, 12

TASK 4

Teacher reads aloud a book or story by aparticular author (e.g., Steig, Dahl, di Paola,Blume). Students then listen to the book ontape, and on comment sheets, theyrespond to questions in writing or pictures.Students read aloud with the tape whenpossible. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 6, 11

Students complete Beginning task. Theyselect a book or story by the same authorto read and listen to on tape. Students prac-tice reading the book aloud with fluencyand accuracy (in class and at home). Classwatches book talk segments from the PBSseries Reading Rainbow. Each studentgives a book talk to class, incorporating ashort reading of a favorite passage. Theteacher presents a number of book reviewsof the author’s books. Class analyzes thecritical elements of book reviews. Eachstudent, using the writing process, writes abook review of his/her selected book, andincludes it as a companion to the book.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12

After reading one or more works by aselected author, students read biographicalmaterial on this author. Class identifiesliterary elements and techniques employedby the author. Students speculate on con-nections between the author’s life and thesubject matter of that author’s literaryworks. Each student writes and sends a let-ter to the author with questions/reflectionson these connections.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10,11, 12

TASK 5


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Students listen to or read a simple illustrat-ed story with dialogue. Teacher prepares averbatim script and demonstrates a sampleskit format using stick-figure puppets.Students work in small groups and preparea skit, using the script. Skits are presentedto class. Then, in small groups, studentsselect a simple, familiar story for a puppetshow. Students write a script, make simplepuppets and scenery, choose roles, andpresent show to class.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 8, 9

Students complete the Beginning task.Then students read a few short plays andwatch videos or films of plays (e.g., FairyTale Theatre or West Side Story). Class dis-cusses elements of genre and features ofperformance. Class selects a segment ofone play to perform, with simple scenery,props, and costumes.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9

In small groups, students prepare and per-form impromptu skits, combining randomcharacters, settings, and problems providedby teacher. On an audience response sheet,viewers write a brief description of charac-ters, setting, and plot, and they developthese descriptions into a short narrative ofthe play. Skits and reviews/narratives areput into book form and added to classlibrary.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 4, 8, 9

TASK 6

STANDARD 3:Students will listen, speak, read, and write in English for criticalanalysis and evaluation.Students learning English as a second language will use English to express their opinions and judgments onexperiences, messages, ideas, information, and issues from a variety of perspectives. They will develop and use skillsand strategies appropriate to their level of English proficiency to reflect on and analyze experiences, messages, ideas,information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria.


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Standard 3: Performance Indicators1. Develop and present clear interpretations,

analyses, and evaluations of issues, ideas, texts,and experiences, supporting positions with well-developed arguments. Forms of such presentations include oral (classpresentations, speeches, and debates), visual (posters,graphs, charts, and illustrations), and written (essays,position papers, brochures). (L, S, R, W)

2. Assess, compare, and evaluate the quality ofspoken or written texts and visual presentations,using different criteria related to the organization,subject area, and purpose of text. Text types include editorials, letters to the editor,political speeches, illustrations, charts, andadvertisements. (L, S, R, W)

3. Recognize and communicate personal andmultiple points of view within and among groups, indiscussing, interpreting, and evaluating informationin texts and presentations. (L, S, R, W)

4. Evaluate students’ own and others’ work,individually and collaboratively, on the basis of a variety of criteria. Criteria include visual presentation, clarity of ideas, logic,originality, comprehensiveness, and use of Englishvocabulary, grammar, and register. (L, S, R, W)

5. Recognize, explain, and evaluate how structuralfeatures affect readers’ and listeners’understanding and appreciation of text. Such features include organization, syntax, repetition ofwords or ideas, vocabulary, and visuals. (L, S, R, W)

6. Speak and write, using the conventions andfeatures of American English, to effectivelyinfluence an audience (e.g., to persuade,negotiate, argue). Such spoken language features include appropriategrammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and intonation.Such written language features include appropriategrammar, vocabulary, correct spelling, punctuation, andcapitalization. (S, W)

7. Engage in collaborative activities through a varietyof groupings to discuss, share, reflect on, develop,and express opinions and evaluations about avariety of experiences, ideas, and information. Such groupings include small groups, discussion groups,process writing groups, and cooperative learning groups.(L, S, R, W)

8. Apply self-monitoring and self-correctingstrategies, using established criteria for effectiveoral and written presentation, to adjust presentationand language production to effectively expressopinions and evaluations. Such strategies include asking questions, starting over,rephrasing, and exploring alternative ways of sayingthings. (L, S, R, W)

9. Apply learning strategies to examine and interpreta variety of materials. Such strategies include using prior knowledge, graphicorganizers, and context clues; planning; note taking; andexploring cognates and root words. (L, S, R, W)


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Students watch a clip from the movie TheLong Walk Home and read or listen to abrief retelling of the Rosa Parks bus inci-dent from a nonfiction source. They role-play Rosa Parks’ taking a stand (or beingarrested) as depicted in either source, usingthe vocabulary from the text. Teacher pre-pares an outline of a T-chart and elicitscontrasting information from the twosources.Performance indicators: 2, 3, 7, 9

Students watch clips from the movie TheLong Walk Home. In small groups, theyspeculate as to what is nonfiction and whatis Hollywood fiction. Teacher providesgroups with simple reference materials tocheck facts of the story. Groups comparethe fictional representation with the facts.Whole class discusses rationale for fictionalembellishments and develops a checklistfor evaluating the validity of varioussources of information. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9

Students watch the movie The Long WalkHome and a documentary about theMontgomery bus boycott. They take noteson the facts of the bus boycott and thenthey summarize both the movie and thedocumentary. In groups, they develop arubric for evaluating the authenticity ofthese accounts of the boycott, and use therubric to evaluate the two sources. Theyanswer the question, “If you were theteacher, which film would you use to teachabout Rosa Parks and the bus boycott, andwhy?” In small groups, students share andcompare answers.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9

TASK 1

Students cut 10 advertisements from vari-ous types of magazines and newspapers(English or native language editions maybe used). Students mount and number theads on poster paper. They complete ateacher-made chart that indicates productand target audience for each ad. Studentspresent and hang posters and share infor-mation from charts. Class discusses differ-ences of opinion during presentationsthrough question-and-answer session anddevelops a checklist for creating an effec-tive ad. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9

Students complete Beginning task. Studentsdevelop categories for products displayedin posters and regroup advertisements bycategory such as target audience, product,medium (color or black-and-white photos,drawings), or purpose (sell, inform, per-suade). In small groups, students discusswhich advertisement in each category ismost effective for the target audience andthey explain why, using their checklist.Small groups compare results and discusssimilarities and differences. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9

Students complete Intermediate task. Fromcriteria for effective ads, students create arubric for assessing degree of effectivenesson a scale of one to four. Using the rubric,students reevaluate the original ads, rank-ing each ad in each category. They com-pare the objective analysis to their earliersubjective opinions, and develop an effec-tive ad for a particular audience on thebasis of the rubric. Students present ads toclassmates, and edit according to feedback.Finally, they present a proposal to the man-ufacturer.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9

TASK 2


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In small groups, students move throughthree classroom learning centers dedicatedto a single topic (such as the Civil War): 1)maps, photos, timeline; 2) encyclopediasand reference books with relevant pagesflagged; 3) textbooks, trade books, adaptedtext. At each center, small groups completea teacher-made activity sheet that asks forparticular information about that center.Class discusses answers and talks abouthow and where they found the answers.Students rate centers and materials on asimple scale (e.g., quality, quantity, clarity,ease of use). Performance indicators: 2, 3, 5, 7, 9

Students complete Beginning task, expand-ing scope to include using the Internet as asource of information and as a fourth cen-ter. After exploring various search engines,students generate criteria for effective andefficient search engines and create anassessment rubric to rate returns onrequests. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9

After completing Intermediate task, stu-dents brainstorm strategies (e.g., usingpictures, bold text, headings) for obtaininginformation from materials in the fourcenters. In small groups, students completea second activity sheet for each center,employing new strategies. Again, they ratecenters on a simple scale and answer anopen-ended question assessing their pref-erences and abilities in using various mate-rials and strategies. They develop an anno-tated list of useful Web sites and resourcesgermane to the topic for use by otherstudents, organizing sites in categories suchas biographies, histories, maps, or illustra-tions. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9

TASK 3

Teacher shows object (e.g., small sculpture,textile, tool) to students. Students describeobject and speculate on its use, meaning,production, etc. They generate vocabularyassociated with the object. In small groupsor pairs, students make up a story aboutthe object and tell it to the class. Class dis-cusses which of the stories is the mostplausible and why. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7

Students complete Beginning task. Teacherpresents three possible identities for object.Students choose and defend the most plau-sible. Teacher reveals true identity (e.g., oldtool, rain gauge, mold, potsherd). Studentsbegin a KWL chart on object, read infor-mation on object, and complete the KWLchart.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7

Teacher shows students four or five objectsthat are important in his/her life. Studentsspeculate on the identity and purpose ofeach object and its meaning to the teacher.They write a short story about the teacher,using objects as clues. Teacher writes andreads his/her own story to class. Studentsdiscuss and reflect on differences betweenperception and reality. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9

TASK 4


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Teacher presents background informationon a school-based controversial issue (e.g.,installing metal detectors, requiringuniforms, holding locker searches, sellingsoda) through pictures, video clips, time-lines, and graphs/charts. Questions andanswers follow. The teacher elicits pros andcons for a T-chart. In a mock referendum,students take a side for or against the issue,presenting one reason for their position.Performance indicators: 3, 7, 9

Teacher presents background informationon an issue as in the Beginning task,adding magazine and newspaper excerptsand materials from the Internet. Teacherguides students through these adaptedresource materials. In small groups, stu-dents simplify one side of the argument,and produce a pamphlet arguing one side,in preparation for a mock referendum.Then they hold the mock referendum withballot. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9

Teacher presents background informationon a school-based controversial issuethrough a variety of authentic resources. Intwo groups (pro and con), students outlineaspects of issue for research, and eachmember researches one aspect of issue.Teams collaborate to develop and presenta speech. Speeches are followed by a struc-tured debate between the two groups,which is videotaped, reviewed by classmembers, and rated for persuasiveness.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9

TASK 5

STANDARD 4:Students will listen, speak, read, and write in English for classroomand social interaction.Students learning English as a second language will use English to interact with others in social and classroomsituations. They will develop and use skills and strategies appropriate to their level of English proficiency tocommunicate effectively with regard to audience, purpose, and setting.


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Standard 4: Performance Indicators1. Use a variety of oral, print, and electronic forms for

social communication and for writing to or for self,applying the conventions of social writing. Such forms include friendly notes, invitations, andelectronic messages, diary entries, and notes to self.(L, S, R, W)

2. Describe, read about, participate in, orrecommend a favorite activity, book, song, orother interest to various audiences. Such audiences include peers, classes, teachers, andother adults. (L, S, R, W)

3. Request and provide information and assistance,orally or in writing, for personal, social, andacademic purposes. (L, S, R, W)

4. Listen attentively, take turns speaking, and build onothers’ ideas when engaged in pair, group, or full-class discussions on personal, social,community, and academic topics. (L, S)

5. Explain actions, choices, and decisions in socialand academic situations. (S, W)

6. Understand and use a variety of oralcommunication strategies in American English forvarious social and academic purposes. Such strategies include making confirmation checks,clarifying or requesting clarification, paraphrasing, andrepairing miscommunication. (L, S)

7. Follow oral and written directions to participate inclassroom and social activities, and providedirections to peers in selected interactions. (L, S, R, W)

8. Negotiate and manage interactions to accomplishsocial and classroom tasks. (L, S)

9. Use appropriate vocabulary, expressions,language, routines, and interaction styles forvarious audiences and formal and informal socialor school situations, noticing how intention isrealized through language. Such expressions and routines include askingpermission, making and responding to requests,greeting, making promises, thanking, and apologizing.Such situations include chatting with friends,participating in group discussions, greeting a principal or other adult, making purchases. (L, S, R, W)

10. Demonstrate appropriate classroom behaviors(e.g., participating in small group and whole classdiscussions, being courteous, respecting theperson and property of others). (L, S, R, W)

11. Discover alternative ways of saying things in socialand classroom interactions. (L, S, R, W)

12. Apply self-monitoring and self-correcting strategiesin social and classroom interactions.Such strategies include asking questions, starting over,rephrasing, and exploring alternative pronunciations orwording. (L, S, R, W)


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After teacher models examples of languagefor selected social purposes (e.g., makingintroductions, inviting a friend to go to amovie, asking for directions), studentschoose a simple social situation to role-play. Role-plays are performed for wholeclass.Performance indicators: 3, 4, 7, 9

Students role-play social situations thatinclude an element of conflict. Eachstudent is given an “attitude” or “behavior”unknown to the student’s partner (e.g.,stubborn, conciliatory, angry). Teacherprovides scenarios. Partners in role-playreflect on what they learned about appro-priate communication skills and includethese reflections in their individual learn-ing journals. Performance indicators: 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

Students brainstorm a variety of behaviorsthat might arise during a class discussion(e.g., tapping a pencil, talking too much,interrupting, raising hand, disagreeing).Students read a highly controversial articleand participate in a class discussion.Students secretly choose one of the listedroles, and assume those roles during thediscussion. Roles may shift in five-minuteintervals. Students reflect in writing onwhat they learned about behavior andcommunication skills, and create a posterof appropriate classroom discussion skills.Performance Indicators: 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

TASK 1

Students create a list of a variety of classactivities performed each day. Teacher pre-sents one or two formats for a friendlyletter. With a partner, student writes afriendly letter to the teacher describing afavorite class activity, and gives reasonswhy s/he would like to participate in thatactivity again.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 9

After a class discussion about schoolexperiences (e.g., eating in the cafeteria,changing classes, using metal detectors),students write a letter to the principaldescribing what they like and what theywould like to change about school rou-tines, giving specific suggestions.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 5, 9, 10

Using a computer program (e.g., wordprocessing, graphics, spreadsheet), stu-dents design and write a brochure forprospective students and their familiesdescribing specific activities and programsoffered by their school. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 9

TASK 2

In preparation for a school open house,students discuss and implement plans forhosting family members in the ESL class-room. Plans might be made for invitations,refreshments, greeters, guides, and presen-tations. After the event, class writes a groupstory about the open house using thelanguage experience approach.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10

In small groups, students develop propos-als for bulletin board display of informationappealing to families (e.g., student work,photos, schedules, news). Class comparesthe proposals and chooses one. Using var-ious computer programs (e.g., word pro-cessing, graphics, spreadsheet) and otherresources and agreed-upon elements fromeach proposal, the class creates a bulletinboard display.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10

Students create a PowerPoint presentationof slides and text to use in introducing theirfamilies to the school and the other ESLstudents. They prepare a display of studentand staff pictures, including student biosand staff roles.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

TASK 3


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Students brainstorm a variety of volunteerand recreational activities they are interest-ed in pursuing. They select one activityabout which they want more information.Teacher provides models of letters torequest information and identifies thelanguage used in phone requests. Withteacher assistance, students call or write forinformation. Then they complete teacher-made information sheet.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9,11, 12

Students complete Beginning task andselect two or three activities to research,including browsing the Internet. Theysummarize the information they collectedin a brief paragraph for display on a classbulletin board dedicated to activities. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9,11, 12

Students complete Intermediate task. Theycollect information on a wide range ofactivities to meet the interests of a broadaudience. Then they compile their infor-mation in a notebook organized by cate-gory and type of activity. They host an“activity fair” for interested students.Students work in information booths orga-nized by category and activity, answerquestions, make suggestions, and pass outinformation on specific activities (duplicat-ed from the notebook).Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9,11, 12

TASK 4

Students brainstorm possible cultural andeducational field trips. After discussion,class chooses the three of most interest.Teacher provides information sheets on thethree sites, reviews key words or phrasesregarding logistics of visit, and models howto find these data on the information sheet.In small groups, students research logisticsof visit (e.g., cost, distance, location) anddevelop rationale for the trip. Class dis-cusses feasibility of each proposal andselects trip. Class goes on trip.Performance indicators: 3, 4, 5, 9

Students repeat Beginning task up throughthe step of developing a rationale. Theydiscuss the trip and identify needs (e.g.,transportation, money, dates, parental per-mission). Then they form committees toaddress needs. Each committee produces alist of jobs that need to be completed.Using a word processing program, studentswrite a summary of the proposal (inEnglish and the native language) to explainthe field trip to parents, including a letterinviting parents to be chaperones. Tasksare completed and class goes on trip.Performance indicators: 3, 4, 5, 9

Students complete Intermediate task.Committees write job descriptions for alljobs involved in planning a trip, and stu-dents sign up for jobs after reading thedescriptions. Committee membership isreorganized around jobs; job descriptionsare clearly defined and posted; committeesestablish timetables; groups accomplishtheir tasks. The fund-raising committee isestablished and it prepares proposals foractivities and makes a presentation to theclass. The class selects one or more pro-posals, and all members participate insome form of fund-raising. Fund-raisingcommittee manages activities and monies.Class goes on trip.Performance indicators: 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10

TASK 5


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Teacher periodically organizes game day.Students learn to play a few board games(e.g., Clue, Sorry, Pictionary, Life).Emphasis is on following directions, takingturns, and observing rules of etiquette.Class debriefs after game playing, focusingon language learned and interactions thathelped or hindered students as they playedthe game.Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10

Students complete Beginning task. Teacherprovides example of simplified rewrittenrules of a particular board game. As gamesare mastered, students in small groupsrewrite rules for simplest games and thenplay several matches, making sure the rulesare complete. Students write simplifiedrules, using a word processing program,and share them with the class. Studentsmake adjustments to rules according tocomments made by other students. Finalversions are stored with games for use byother students.Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Following the procedures outlined in theIntermediate task, students rewrite therules for the more complicated games (e.g.,Monopoly, chess). Students play severalmatches of those games to make sure rulesare complete, review rules with classmates,and store final version with games for useby other students. Matches are organized,and pairs of students compete. Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

TASK 6

STANDARD 5:Students will demonstrate cross-cultural knowledge and understanding.Students will demonstrate cross-cultural knowledge and sensitivity in communicating with others of varied social,cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. They will develop and use culturally appropriate behaviors, and a knowledgeof local and U.S. cultures and practices, in their interactions with others in their new cultural environment.


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Standard 5: Performance Indicators1. Demonstrate an understanding of cultural and

language patterns and norms in American English,including different regional and social varieties ofEnglish. Such patterns and norms include levels of formality,slang, humor, idioms, rhetorical patterns, and standardversus nonstandard dialects. (L, S, R, W)

2. Demonstrate an understanding of a broad range ofU.S. cultural and political referents throughinstitutions, functions, and processes at the localand national levels, and compare/contrast thesewith parallels in the students’ native community. Such cultural and political referents include holidays,symbols, traditions, customs, governance systems, andschooling. (L, S, R, W)

3. Recognize and share cross-cultural experiencesand ideas, and connect with those of others. (L, S, R, W)

4. Interpret and demonstrate knowledge of nonverbaland oral communication features, and understandthe contexts in which they are used appropriately. Such means of nonverbal communication includegestures, body language, volume, stress, intonation, andpace. (L, S)

5. Compare and contrast oral traditions, myths,folktales, and literature from the United States andinternational regions and cultures, including thestudents’ own, and identify similarities anddifferences and universal cultural themes. (L, S, R, W)

6. Recognize and demonstrate an appreciation ofsome commonalities and distinctions acrosscultures and groups (differentiated by gender,ability, generations, etc.), including the students’own. (L, S, R, W)


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Teacher displays pictures showing every-day activities of an American family (e.g.,shopping, registering for school, eating inrestaurant). Students and teacher talk aboutthe pictures, and teacher elicits words thatdescribe each picture. In small groups, stu-dents write a caption for every picture.Students draw pictures of personal andhumorous experiences in the U.S., talkabout pictures with the class, collect words,and write a brief caption. Performance indicators: 1, 3

Students complete Beginning task.Individually or in pairs, students write a skitdepicting a personal and humorous cross-cultural experience. Students form smallgroups to refine the skits and perform forthe class, paying attention to intonation,pace, volume, and gestures. Class andteacher discuss elements that made the skithumorous and cross-cultural. Studentsvideotape each skit.Performance indicators: 1, 3, 4

Students complete Intermediate task. Classdiscusses each skit in terms of misunder-standings, miscues, and misinformationthat made the experience noteworthy (e.g.,what made it funny, frightening, confus-ing). Misinformation is categorized bysituation (e.g., involving schools, doctors,directions, transportation). Teacher pro-vides students with strategies and phrasesin American English to avoid these prob-lems or repair miscommunication. Classmay want to develop a “culture quiz”based on their own experiences as depict-ed in the skits. The quiz provides thesituation and three optional responses, oneof which is most appropriate for AmericanEnglish–speaking culture. Quiz is sharedwith other ESL classes.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6

TASK 1

Students listen to excerpts from books ontape (e.g., Everybody Cooks Rice andEverybody Makes Bread) and peruse booksto examine pictures about ways differentcultures perform activities such as cookingor using foods. Each student writes a ques-tion about the book on one side of anindex card, and the answer to the questionon the other side. Cards are distributed andclassmates try to answer the questionswithout looking at the reverse side. Performance indicators: 5, 6

Students listen to books on tape (e.g.,Everybody Cooks Rice and Everybody MakesBread). Each student brings a recipe forbread or rice from home, and tape-recordshis/her recipe. Each student listens toanother student’s tape and writes down therecipe. Student compares his/her recipe tothat recipe, and checks for accuracy.Recipes are compiled and included in aclass recipe book.Performance indicators: 3, 5, 6

Students consult with the school librarianfor titles of stories that celebrate foodaround the world, and they obtain menusfrom local ethnic restaurants. Studentslocate and read stories with food themesand put together a simple “where to go”guide for international cuisine in the neigh-borhood. The guide may include informa-tion from the stories as well as menu itemsfrom the restaurants. Next, students bringfrom home a recipe that is prepared forspecial occasions, and they write about amemorable time when the dish was pre-pared. Recipes and essays are included ina class recipe book. Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 6

TASK 2

Students read or listen to two Cinderellastories (e.g., Rough Face Girl and Lon PoPo) without identifying the stories as varia-tions of the fairy tale Cinderella. Then theycompare the stories in a Venn diagram. Inpairs, students discuss the common ele-ments and/or lessons of the stories andreport back to the class. Class reaches con-sensus on authors’ intent.Performance indicator: 5

Students complete Beginning task. Thenthey read one or two more Cinderella sto-ries. They create a chart of common ele-ments (e.g., magic, good, evil, happy end-ing). Teacher divides students into fourgroups, and each group reviews one story,looking for cultural indicators (e.g., cloth-ing, geography, food, housing, values).They prepare another chart listing the vari-ous cultural indicators. Each group reflectson the charts and writes a short essay com-paring two of the stories. Students shareessays in class and present their findingsfrom the charts to the whole class.Performance indicators: 3, 5, 6

Students complete Intermediate task anddiscuss the criteria for writing an originalCinderella story (e.g., cultural indicators,common elements, writing process).Students write a Cinderella story based ontheir own culture. They use the writingprocess (e.g., peer conferencing, revising,editing) to publish stories for class book.Performance indicators: 3, 5, 6

TASK 3


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Students brainstorm salient aspects of theirculture (e.g., food, school, clothes, music),and they distill this list to four topics. Thenthey fold a large piece of paper into eightsections and label each of the top four sec-tions with a topic related to their native cul-ture. They label each of the bottom foursections with a topic related to U.S. culture.Students illustrate examples of the topicand write what they know about the topicin each square. Then they report to class-mates and solicit questions. Each studentfinds answers to questions from books,family members, or native English speak-ers, and reports back. Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Students complete Beginning task, includ-ing both family and other interviews andreference material. Then they choose oneof the four topics and write a brief com-parison of the two cultures, illustrating theirwork, either for the class bulletin board orfor a brief informative brochure for nativeEnglish-speaking peers. The brochurecompares the two cultures and highlightswhat an American can expect in the stu-dent’s native country.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

Students complete Intermediate task, creat-ing a brochure. They present theirbrochure to native English-speaking stu-dents. Students confirm their description ofAmerican culture and add variations pro-vided by the non-ESL students. Topicscomparing U.S. cultures with other culturesare chosen by the class for inclusion in anintercultural newsletter. Class negotiatesresearch responsibilities. Each studentwrites an article and assumes a productionrole (e.g., editing, layout). Students publishnewsletter.Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

TASK 4

Students read or listen to an immigrationstory (e.g., My Grandfather’s Journey, LongWay to a New Land). Then they make apicture book of their own immigrationjourney and tell their story. With teachersupport, students add text to their picturebooks. For an epilogue, they reflect on theexperience, describing, for example, thehardest part, the best part, or the best placeto live.Performance indicator: 3

Teacher reads aloud an account from NewKids in Town: Oral Histories of ImmigrantTeens. Students write about their arrival inthe U.S., and include positive memories aswell as challenges. Teacher collects writingand posts on classroom walls. In smallgroups, students discuss similarities in theaccounts.Performance indicator: 3

Students read Who Belongs Here: AnAmerican Story. They discuss immigrationpolicies as they relate to their own experi-ences. Then they complete a teacher-madereflection sheet, noting, for example, newunderstandings and attitudes. Teacherpresents some information on U.S. immi-gration policy and class recommends(debates) amendments to the policy. Performance indicator: 3

TASK 5


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Class watches a selection of interactions onvideo without sound (from TV shows,films, etc.), and discusses the behavior,feelings, and intentions of the actors asindicated by gestures, body language,proxemics, etc. (Students may want tomake a wall chart for “visual” references).Next, the teacher provides two grab bagsand a prop box. One grab bag contains acollection of people’s titles (e.g., principal,parent, friend, stranger, neighbor) and thesecond contains types of situations (e.g.,greetings, introductions, requests for infor-mation or assistance, emergencies).Referring to the norms identified in the dis-cussion of the video vignettes, studentscombine random people and situations,and use items from the prop box, to role-play scenarios.Performance indicators: 1, 4

Students complete Beginning task. Teacherdescribes a few social situations preparedahead of time (e.g., eating in the cafeteria,socializing with students from other cul-tures, attending a party) or has studentscome up with their own. In small groups,students develop a short skit illustratingeach situation and perform their renditionof the situation for the class by reading thescripts aloud. Students synthesize the vari-ety of responses generated by the classperformances into an acceptable examplefor managing a social situation with appro-priate language and nonverbal communi-cation. Class discusses and records factorsthat facilitate communication and thosethat don’t in each group’s rendition.Teacher provides culturally appropriatealternatives such as variations in tone orgesture.Performance indicators: 1, 4

Students complete Intermediate task. Afterrevising/staging/rehearsing the modelscripts, they videotape performances.Videotapes are placed in class lendinglibrary. Students write to ESL programs inother schools, describing the videos andoffering them for loan.Performance indicators: 1, 4

TASK 6


LEARNING EXPERIENCE

More Than Just Turkey Talk!

Submitted by Monica AstonThree Village Central School DistrictSetauket, New York

Proficiency Level: All ESL

LEARNING CONTEXTThe students who participated in this learning experienceare seventh and eighth graders. They represent all levelsof proficiency, and come from a variety of linguistic andcultural backgrounds.

This learning experience challenges students to broadentheir knowledge and explore the many different facets ofthe holiday of Thanksgiving. Through a variety of activi-ties, students discovered the connection that this holidayhas with the beginning of our nation and how it also rep-resents the American experience today. Through thislearning experience, students became immersed in litera-ture, history, culture, and technology, enabling them toaccess information related to many aspects of the topic.The activities were designed to correlate with content-areamaterial, specifically American history. As part of thefollowing activities, students first explored the topicthrough literature and then research, discussing and utiliz-ing information related to the Pilgrims and the NativeAmericans during the time period of the 1620s.

STANDARDS & PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

ESL STANDARDS (Intermediate level 5–8):

ESL STANDARD 1: Students will listen, speak,read, and write in English for information andunderstanding.Performance Indicators:1. Students identify and use reading and listening

strategies to make text comprehensible andmeaningful.

2. Students read, gather, view, listen to, organize,discuss, interpret, and analyze information related toacademic content areas from various sources.

5. Students formulate, ask, and respond to variousquestion forms to obtain, clarify, and extendinformation and meaning.

ESL STANDARD 2: Students will listen, speak,read, and write in English for literaryresponse, enjoyment, and expression.Performance Indicators:1. Students read, listen to, view, and discuss texts and

performances from a wide range of authors,subjects, and genres.

7. Students compose and present personal and formalresponses to and interpretations of publishedliterary works and the work of peers, referring todetails and features of text.

10. Students create, discuss, interpret, and respond toliterary works, using appropriate and effectivevocabulary, grammar, spelling, and punctuation inwriting, and using appropriate vocabulary,grammar, and pronunciation in speaking.

ESL STANDARD 3: Students will listen, speak,read, and write in English for critical analysisand evaluation.Performance Indicators:3. Students recognize and communicate personal and

multiple points of view within and among groups,in discussing, interpreting, and evaluatinginformation in texts and presentations.

4. Students evaluate students’ own and others’ work,individually and collaboratively, on the basis of avariety of criteria.

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Intermediate Learning Experience 81

ESL STANDARD 4: Students will listen, speak,read, and write in English for classroom andsocial interaction.Performance Indicators:1. Students use a variety of oral, print, and electronic

forms for social communication and for writing to orfor self, applying the conventions of social writing.

ESL STANDARD 5: Students will demonstratecross-cultural knowledge and understanding.Performance Indicators:2. Students understand a broad range of cultural and

political referents through institutions, functions,and processes at the local and national levels, andcompare/contrast these with parallels in thestudents’ native country.

SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARD 1 History of the United States and New YorkPerformance Indicators:1. Students explore the meaning of American culture

by identifying the key ideas, beliefs, and patterns ofbehavior, traditions that help define it and unite allAmericans.

MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, & TECHNOLOGYSTANDARD 2: Information SystemsPerformance Indicators:2. Students use spreadsheets and database software,

electronic databases and online services.

3. Students obtain accurate and relevant informationfrom a range of sources.

TEACHER’S REFLECTION:

This learning experience was entirely a work in

progress at all points in time, both for my students

and for me. In previous years, I had always

included the Thanksgiving holiday as part of the

curriculum, spending a few days to present and

discuss the holiday with my students, culminating

with a Thanksgiving feast. After I surveyed the

students this year with a KWL, I learned that they

equated Thanksgiving with little more than eating

turkey. I therefore expanded my holiday lesson to be

nearly a four-week endeavor, and I invited students

to make many connections to the cultural, social,

and historical aspects of the holiday. As this lesson

evolved, I tried to connect the ESL lessons to their

social studies classes. Additionally, I hoped the

students would develop an understanding of and an

appreciation for the founding of this nation, the

quest for freedom, and the ideas that led to the

formation of a democratic form of government.

In trying to gear the work to the interests of the

students, I was continuously planning where we

were heading next. There was no blueprint for me to

follow; it was very challenging at times. But

learning does not always follow a linear pattern,

and through my work with this learning experience,

I feel I have grown and become more confident in

working with the ESL standards and applying them

to enhance instruction.

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PROCEDURE

TEACHER ACTIVITIES:

� Introduces topic of Thanksgiving with KWL chart

� Reads Rivka’s First Thanksgiving aloud to students,using frequent comprehension checks and clarifyingunfamiliar vocabulary

� Follows similar reading strategies with Molly’s Pilgrim

� Discusses the story elements: setting, characters, events,and conclusion

� Introduces students to using the Internet in the com-puter lab

� Directs students to the online Thanksgiving timelineactivity

� Guides students in locating important people from thistime period and creates artifacts of 1620–1621

� Combines the vocabulary items, choosing 15 to makeup a class vocabulary list

� In class, introduces the interview project; helps studentschoose one historical figure from their bookmark list

� Presents the idea of a timeline to display importantevents in the life of a famous person

� Videotapes each student’s oral presentation and assess-es it using oral assessment sheet and student’s self-assessment

STUDENT ACTIVITIES:

❂ Listen to Rivka’s First Thanksgiving and completeReader Response activity sheet

❂ Write a letter to a character in the book, stating opin-ion and supporting it

❂ Listen to Molly’s Pilgrim and complete ReaderResponse sheet

❂ Compare the two stories, and main characters, orally

❂ Select individual vocabulary list of 10 words to createa Thanksgiving vocabulary bookmark

❂ Answer, in writing, the questions from the task sheet

❂ Create a “who was who?” bookmark of the firstThanksgiving

❂ Visit the Thanksgiving timeline online activity andcomplete Reader Response sheet as a follow-up

❂ Choose one person from list of famous people toresearch

❂ Write and share questions for the interview with thishistorical figure in large group and narrow them down

❂ Obtain additional information on this historical figurefrom visiting the computer lab and library

❂ Follow writing process in class to create final product

❂ Make presentation of interview with historical figure infront of class; presentation is videotaped and self- andaudience-assessed

❂ Complete final portion of KWL sheet

p TIME REQUIRED

• Planning Stage: one to two weeks• Implementation Stage: Fifteen to 20 days• Assessment Stage: Ongoing throughout

implementation

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Intermediate Learning Experience 83

d ASSESSMENT TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

Student work was evaluated through the use of thefollowing assessment tools, which were teacherdeveloped. Student work was recognized as being“Developing,” “Proficient,” or “Distinguished,” withineach ESL level (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced).

• Teacher used a KWL chart to demonstrate eachstudent’s individual growth and to determine areas ofinterest to students

• Teacher assessed several examples of student workthrough rubrics: vocabulary bookmark rubric; “whowas who” bookmark rubric; journal responses toliterature rubric; “letter to book character” rubric; andinterview project rubric

• Teacher had the class develop a vocabulary list gener-ated from student lists

• Teacher held a quiz at end of the learning experience • Teacher used a checklist related to picture timeline—

online activity• Teacher assessed student presentations, using an oral

presentation form• Teacher assessed group discussions• Teacher conducted an observation of oral and written

language production

✎ RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

FOR THE STUDENTS 1. Rivka’s First Thanksgiving by Elsa Okon Rael2. Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen3. Language Development Through Content: America,

The Early Years by Anna Uhl Chamot4. Giving Thanks, The 1621 Harvest Feast by Kate

Waters5. The American Nation, Prentice Hall6. Internet sites (www.google.com,

www.askjeeves.com, www.plimoth.org, www.pilgrims.net, www.scholastic.com)

7. Chart paper8. Markers9. Construction paper

10. Access to computers/online resources11. Access to library resources

FOR THE TEACHER 1. Adding English – Helping ESL Learners Succeed by

Katherine Maitland2. American History Plays by Sarah Glasscock3. “Giving Thanks,” Appleseeds Publication, 19984. Indians of the Northeast by Colin Calloway5. The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony by Feenie Ziner6. ESL Teacher’s Holiday Activity Kit by Elizabeth Claire7. Internet sites (www.abcteach.com, www.atozteacher-

stuff.com, www.holiday.net/thanksgiving,www.nativetech.com, www.pilgrims.net,www.plimoth.org, www.teacher.scholastic.com)

STUDENT WORK/PRODUCTS

• KWL chart• Letter writing to character in a story, taking a

position and supporting it• Journal response to the stories Rivka’s First

Thanksgiving and Molly’s Pilgrim• Virtual field trip to Plimoth Plantation• Question-answer worksheet for online activity

(CyberChallenge)• Vocabulary bookmark• Bookmark of “Who was who at the first

Thanksgiving?” • Interview project: formulate interview questions, do

individual and group work, research one historicalfigure from 1620, answer interview questions inwriting

• Interview project: oral presentation, videotaped

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INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTALMODIFICATIONS✔ For newly arrived LEPs, focus on the vocabulary-

building activities, using the same vocabularyitems as the class. Allow students additional timeto translate into the native language and create abilingual glossary. Tailor the vocabulary list toinclude the most crucial words for understanding.

✔ Pair the newly arrived LEPs/beginners with abuddy for the activities (including online activi-ties), as appropriate. The interview project can bemodified so that newly arrived LEPs would beresponsible for the completion of certain sectionsonly, such as the timeline, or a simplified versionof the interview questions along with a visualrepresentation.

✔ For more advanced students, the interview projectmay be expanded to include additional questions,and to develop an in-depth awareness of thehistorical figure chosen.


student work samples

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sample classroom tasks • learning experience -...

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