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: To prepare for Unit 2 assessments, consider prioritizing and expanding instruction in Lessons 2-4 and 6, which contain the reading and character analysis routines and practice writing character analysis paragraphs; Lesson 5, which introduces text-based discussions and contains a Language Dive; Lesson 9, which introduces first person narratives; and Lesson 11, which contains a Language Dive. If necessary, consider placing less focus and condensing instruction in Lessons 1, 10 and 13, which provide helpful background, practice, and repetition but don't introduce as many new concepts.
• Language Dives: All students participate in a Language Dive in Lesson 11, and ELLs can participate in an optional Language Dive in Lesson 5. These Language Dives support ELLs and all students in deconstructing, reconstructing, and practicing the meaning and structures of sentences from the Declaration of Independence, Divided Loyalties, and the model first person narrative. Many lessons also include optional Mini Language Dives for ELLs. The Language Dive goals remain the same as in previous modules; however, the new format goes beyond those goals by encouraging students to take more of a lead in the conversations and to build greater independence by taking an inquiry-based approach to language in general, and the selected sentence in particular. See the Tools page for additional information.
• Conversation Cues: Encourage productive and equitable conversation with Goals 1-4 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). See the Tools page for the complete set of cues.
• 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 discuss Divided Loyalties, the Declaration of Independence, and the impact of the Revolutionary War on people living in the colonies, including African American slaves and American Indians. Be sensitive to students' own perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, particularly with such issues as war and slavery, and foster inclusive action by creating space for students to express their feelings about the issues embedded in the texts, while being aware that these discussions may unearth trauma or social stigma. Consult with a guidance counselor, school social worker, or ESL teacher for further investigation of diversity and inclusion.
• Text-based discussions: Students participate in three text-based discussions, during which they discuss characters' perspectives in relation to the Declaration of Independence. Students participate in close reads to help them prepare for these discussions. This format is ideal for language development, as it invites students to orally negotiate with classmates about the meaning of what they are trying to say, pushing them to change their language to be more comprehensible. Additionally, students can celebrate their successful attempts at communication and their ability to extend and enhance the discussions.
• Writing first person narratives: In the second half of the unit, students write first person narratives from the perspective of characters in Divided Loyalties after analyzing their actions, thoughts, and feelings in different scenes of the play. This analysis and writing practice will benefit ELLs by preparing them for the work they will do in the end of unit assessment and the next unit. ELLs may find it challenging to access and produce the necessary language to transform the character analysis into writing from the first person point of view. Provide familiar examples of first person writing when possible and support students by giving them sufficient time to imagine and orally describe the character's feelings, thoughts, and actions in the first person before they are asked to write. Provide sentence frames as needed and encourage students to use the text, their note-catchers, and other classroom resources for support.
• Celebration: Celebrate the courage, enthusiasm, diversity, and bilingual assets that ELLs bring to the classroom.