Many of my students are first generation and second generation students who have come to America through refugee camps. About 98% of the students speak English as a second language. Our school is set up specifically to help the students and families coming to America and to keep their Hmong culture alive.
Our school is in an urban area.
The students experience many of the struggles that an urban student experiences. A lot of the students live in poverty, due to the limited English proficiency of their parents, who end up working 2nd and 3rd shifts. The students are not coming in with the same background knowledge for science as many of the other students in the city, due to their living conditions.
The students at this school typically come from large families, and have a great deal of responsibility thrust upon them, from being the primary caretaker of their siblings while parents are working to being the sole translator for their family. They are hardworking students who deserve every chance to be successful.
My Project
My students are mostly English Language Learners. This becomes a challenge when introducing new ideas and concepts, especially in science. Having visuals will help the students to better understand the terms that they are learning. We currently use images, but the models will make a world of a difference because the students will be able to see how the parts interact with each other.
As English Language Learners, reading is important and difficult in all subjects, but particularly in science.
Having books will allow my class to read about the topics they are learning about in a way that is easier to understand than the textbook. It will help them to make connections with what they are learning and what others are doing. Some of these books would be used for my AP Environmental Science class as a whole class read. This would allow us to dissect topics and look into them further.
Lastly, the board games will help me to engage students who struggle with science, particularly students receiving ELL support and Special Education support. I can help them to connect what we are learning with the game, and it will help them to better understand the content, as well as take an interest in science.
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