The Meeting Students' Needs column in each lesson contains support for both ELLs and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and some supports can serve a wide range of student needs. However, ELLs have unique needs that cannot always be met with UDL support. According to federal guidelines, ELLs must be given access to the curriculum with appropriate supports, such as those that are specifically identified as "For ELLs" in the Meeting Students' Needs column. 

• Prioritizing lessons for classrooms with many ELLs: Consider prioritizing and expanding instruction in Lessons 1-5 to further support work with habits of character. Consider offering additional concrete examples, role plays, and writing models about habits of character in preparation for the assessment. If necessary, place less focus and condense instruction on writing descriptions of magnificent things in Lessons 8-11. Consider working to complete portions of the performance task as shared writing experiences and providing slightly less time for independent writing.
• Language Dives: This unit offers only optional Mini Language Dives for ELLs. Language Dives are guided conversations about the meaning of a sentence from the central texts, models, or learning targets. The conversation invites students to unpack complex syntax, or "academic phrases," as a necessary component of building both literacy and habits of mind. Students then apply their understanding of language structure as they work toward the assessments and performance task. All Language Dives follow a Deconstruct-Reconstruct-Practice routine, in which students discuss and play with the meaning and purpose of the sentence and each chunk of the sentence; put the chunks back together into the original order and any possible variations; and practice using the chunks in their own speaking and writing. To maximize language practice and accommodate time, consider dividing or reviewing each Language Dive over multiple lessons. A consistent Language Dive routine is critical in helping all students learn how to decipher complex sentences and write their own. In addition, Language Dive conversations can hasten overall English language development for ELLs. Avoid using the Language Dive Guide to lecture about grammar; the Guide is designed to prompt students as they grapple with the meaning and purpose of the chunks and the sentence. Consider providing students with a Language Dive log inside a folder to track Language Dive sentences and structures and collate Language Dive note-catchers. Assure students that this log will not be graded; however, consider inviting students to use their log and note-catchers to gauge the progress of their speaking and writing skills. For more information on Language Dives, refer to the Supporting English Language Learners Guidance on the Tools page.
• Goal 2 Conversation Cues: Encourage productive and equitable conversation with Conversation Cues, which are questions teachers can ask students to help achieve four goals: (Goal 1) encourage all students to talk and be understood; (Goal 2) listen carefully to one another and seek to understand; (Goal 3) deepen thinking; and (Goal 4) think with others to expand the 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). Refer to the Tools page for the complete set of cues. Goal 2 Conversation Cues are introduced in Lesson 1. Heightened language processing and development is a primary potential benefit for ELLs.
• Diversity and inclusion: Investigate the routines, practices, rituals, beliefs, norms, and experiences that are important to ELLs and their families. Integrate this background into the classroom as students explore informational texts taking place across different cultures and countries. Students may take some time to adjust to the student-centered nature of these lessons. Some students may be culturally accustomed to more frequent direction and instruction from adults. Consider providing more hands-on instruction during group work at the beginning of the unit and gradually releasing. Consult with a guidance counselor, school social worker, or ESL teacher for further investigation of diversity and inclusion concerns.
• Strategic grouping: As students are invited to pair up for various tasks and protocols, seriouslyconsider matching ELLs to a partner who has greater language proficiency. The conversations that happen as a result of such strategic grouping will greatly serve the language development of both partners.
• Language processing time: Give ELLs sufficient time to think about what they want to say before they share with other students or write.
• Informative writing: Students will write an informative paragraph about the tools they used to create their magnificent things. This task may prove particularly challenging for ELLs because they must use metalinguistic skills in order to grasp paragraph organization. Students may need additional modeling and think-alouds throughout the process of taking notes and then writing a paragraph based on their notes. Consider providing sentence frames to reduce the volume of writing.
• Creating a magnificent thing: Students will work together to create a magnificent thing while using the habits of character they have learned in prior units. As the work time is relatively unstructured, students may need some additional prompting to fully participate and to actively demonstrate habits of character. Model or fish bowl successful group work. Consider providing students with dialogue that demonstrates each habit of character. Remind students about the meaning of each habit of character by revisiting the relevant moments in The Most Magnificent Thing.
• Celebration: Celebrate the courage, enthusiasm, diversity, and bilingual skills that ELLs bring to the classroom.