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 the Unit 2 assessments, consider prioritizing and expanding instruction in Lessons 1-3, which introduce and establish routines for referring to the text to answer text-based questions and analyzing how visuals contribute to the meaning, tone, and beauty of a text; and Lessons 7-8, which introduce and provide practice for analyzing how a narrator's point of view influences the way events are described. Lesson 8 also includes a Language Dive comparing and contrasting varieties of English. If necessary, consider placing less focus and condensing instruction in Lesson 4, which provides helpful background, practice, and repetition but doesn't introduce as many new concepts.
• Language Dives: All students participate in a Language Dive in Lesson 8. Many lessons also include optional Mini Language Dives for ELLs. These Language Dives support ELLs and all students in deconstructing, reconstructing, and practicing the meaning and structures of sentences from Stanza 1 of "O' Beautiful Storm" and Eight Days: A Story of Haiti. Refer to the Tools page for additional information on Language Dives.
• Conversation Cues: Encourage productive and equitable conversation with Goals 1-4 Conversation Cues (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 additional information on Conversation 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 explore the topic of natural disasters and the human impact they can have. Note that the poem in Lesson 4 contains religious references and acknowledge this reference in the context that some people, in times of hardship, find strength in their religious beliefs to get through it. Be sensitive to students' experiences and perspectives on these topics and foster inclusive action by creating space for students to express their feelings about issues embedded in the text, 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.
• Homographs, synonyms, and antonyms: Students are introduced to homographs and review synonyms and antonyms beginning in Lesson 1, using word relationships to better understand each word. Consider reinforcing the use of word relationships by leading ELLs in the Homograph, Synonym, and Antonym Practice introduced in "levels of support" in Lesson 1 and the Mini Language Dives in Lessons 2 and 4. Additionally, consider encouraging students to notice homographs and use synonyms and antonyms to demonstrate the meaning of new words in other areas of the school day. This will provide students with a better understanding of word relationships and reduce the cognitive overload of this work in the module lessons.
• Analyzing visuals for meaning, tone, and beauty: In the first half of the unit, students analyze how visuals contribute to the meaning, tone, and beauty of a text. Before inviting students to do so, consider explicitly working with them to develop and expand vocabulary for tone, using familiar examples to do so. Encourage ELLs to notice tone throughout the school day as well, whether it be the tone of voice someone is using to express something or the tone of a text in another content area. Invite students to add examples of tone to the Tone T-Chart introduced in Lesson 2, "For heavier support," throughout the unit as well.
• Point of view: In the second half of the unit, students analyze how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences the way events are described in texts. In preparation for this work, remind ELLs of the work they did with point of view in Module 2 and ensure that they understand the difference between first and third person point of view. Provide concrete examples by inviting them to orally describe events that happened to them and comparing those to third person accounts of the same events. Whenever possible, model and think aloud the process for analyzing how point of view influences the way events are described to ensure students' success on the assessment.
• Comparing and contrasting varieties of English: In the second half of the unit, students compare and contrast varieties of English via a Language Dive conversation in Lesson 8. The goal of this conversation is to celebrate the varieties of English students encounter in this unit and to deepen their understanding about the intentional language choices authors make based on purpose and audience. Whenever possible, encourage students to compare the variety of English they hear and use in the classroom to any varieties of English they hear and/or use outside of the classroom.
• Celebration: Celebrate the courage, enthusiasm, diversity, and bilingual assets that ELLs bring to the classroom