Grade 2 ESL Curriculum Guide

Grade 2 ESL provides students with direct instruction in vocabulary, grammar, and syntax of academic language.  This language instruction is aligned with the WIDA Key Language Uses and planned collaboratively to address core content areas, including ELA Modules. Students engage with grade-level texts, build content knowledge, and share what they have learned through academic conversations and writing. ESL instruction responds to the cultural and linguistic knowledge and skills that students hold and those that they need for success in school. 


Unit

Timeframe

Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions)

Major Learning Experiences from Unit 

Newcomer curriculum

(optional - based on teacher recommendation)

6-8 weeks 

  • How can I be a member of the school community?


  • How is my language similar to and different from English?

Students will 

  • INFORM by identifying/naming/labeling to participate in grade-appropriate

exchanges of information

  • EXPLAIN by summarizing main ideas and key details to describe or report information

  • ARGUE by supporting one’s own opinions with reasons

Module 1 - 

Schools and Community

10 Weeks

  • What is school, and why are schools important? 

  • Why is it hard for some children to go to schools in their communities?

  • How do communities solve these problems so their children can go to school? 

  • How are schools around the world different? How are they similar?

Students will NARRATE, INFORM, EXPLAIN, and ARGUE 

  • By reading and writing informative texts

  • By revising and editing writing

  • By using writing conventions

  • By comparing and contrasting

Module 2 - 

Learning Through Science and Story: Fossils tell of Earth’s Changes

10 Weeks

  • What do paleontologists do?

  • How do characters respond to major events?

  • What can we learn from studying fossils?

  • How do readers learn more about a topic from informational texts?

  • How do authors write compelling narratives?

Students will NARRATE, INFORM, EXPLAIN, and ARGUE 

  • By reading informative and narrative texts

  • By writing narratives with a clear sequence of events

  • By creating detailed illustrations

  • By speaking clearly 

  • By answering questions  

Module 3 -

Researching to Build Knowledge and Teach Others - The Secret World of Pollination 

10 Weeks

  • How do plants grow and survive?

  • How do pollinators help plants grow and survive?

  • How do we get the fruits, flowers, and vegetables that we enjoy?

  • How do we become researchers and share our learning?

Students will NARRATE, INFORM, EXPLAIN, and ARGUE 

  • By reading informative texts

  • By recounting narratives with descriptive details

  • By researching to understand more about a topic

  • By speaking clearly to explain

Module 4 - 

Providing for Pollinators

10 Weeks

  • Why should people help pollinators survive?

  • How can I take action to help pollinators?

Students will NARRATE, INFORM, EXPLAIN, and ARGUE 

  • By reading and writing informative texts

  • By stating an opinion with reasons

  • By revising and editing writing

  • By using technology

  • By gathering information from a variety of sources

  • By creating detailed illustrations and diagrams