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Water: An ESL Curriculum for Adults

This five lesson curriculum was developed by the University of California Extension program. It was designed explicitly for adult EL students and contains simultaneous content and language instruction. The lessons focus on watersheds, water quality, and the water cycle in Los Angeles, CA. Each lesson contains readings, vocabulary, and grammar lessons. Read More

Nature for New Minnesotans – Plants in Minnesota

This curriculum, piloted by Nature for New Minnesotans and University of Minnesota Extension, provides learners with an overview of Minnesota's edible and dangerous plants. The unit was designed for adult EL learners that are low beginner-intermediate, and contains lessons with reading, speaking, and writing opportunities. Science topics covered include photosynthesis, plant nutrients, and invasive species. Informational cards on common edible and dangerous plants in Minnesota are also included. Read More

Nature for New Minnesotans – Climate of Minnesota

This curriculum, piloted by Nature for New Minnesotans and University of Minnesota Extension, provides learners with an overview of Minnesota's climate and biomes. The unit was designed for adult EL learners that are low beginner-intermediate, and contains lessons with reading, speaking, and writing opportunities. The pre-experience lessons for this curriculum are developed for a visit to the Bell Museum, the state of Minnesota's natural history museum. Read More

Nature for New Minnesotans – Fishing and Mercury Pollution: Public Health

This lesson provides reading, writing, and speaking opportunities for students to learn about mercury in fish and its impact on public health. With a focus on Minnesota, the lesson first asks students to share their own experiences with warnings around fish consumption. After reviewing vocabulary, a reading on the dangers of mercury is provided, as well as an online activity that uses the Minnesota Department of Health website to determine safe consumption limits for different groups of people. A hands-on extension activity is included to help students understand the phenomenon of bioaccumulation and biomagnification in fish. Read More

The Change Agent Democracy in Action Edition

Although originally published in 2008, this PDF-version of The Change Agent's "Democracy in Acton" edition has many readings and activities related to civic participation that still relevant for current times. The Change Agent is a publication that helps teachers incorporate social justice content into their curriculum. There are even articles written by adult leaners. It does require a subscription and is appropriate for intermediate and above ELL students and for learners at the Pre-GED/GED levels. In this edition, readers are first introduced to different types of civic participation and problem solving strategies. The next sections include topics related to politics, the history of voting, and the connection between money and politics. The final readings discuss political parties and the democratic system of government. Read More

BEETLES Project

The BEETLEs project is an excellent resource for activities, lessons, and curriculum that explore the natural world. Designed for K-12 and informal science spaces, content focuses on the natural world and how humans understand it. Read More

National Geographic Society

National Geographic's education resources offer numerous, free, leveled materials on a variety of topics related to geography, the environment, and human migration. The searchable content includes articles, interactives, infographics, maps, and videos. Teachers can customize, print and/or share black line maps and there is also a feature where students can create and view interactive maps. In addition, educators from all over the world can can connect and share with each other through National Geographic's free online courses for educators. Read More

Climate Generation

Climate Generation offers a suite of Grades 3-12 curriculum resources in the form of curriculum guides, as well as online modules that can be downloaded for free. All of these resources are standards-based and interdisciplinary. In addition, there are lessons focusing on energy use and those using polar expedition journals documenting climate change in the arctic. Read More

U.S. History Outlines & Charts

This website saves time when needing an overview or a graphic representation of an event or period in American history. The outlines can serve as a scope and sequence for various topics and the charts consolidate a substantial amount of historical information that can either be projected or printed as a PDF document. The available outlines and charts cover a wide-range of time, from pre-Columbian Americans to recent American history. Read More

Bringing History Home

Designed and piloted by a partnership between the University of Iowa and an Iowa school district, the Bringing History Home curriculum is comprised of ten sequential units that build student skills and knowledge in history across the K-5 grade level. All units can be adapted to the ABE classroom and each one is organized by lesson/activity plans, unit resources, suggested teacher adaptations, and a unit bibliography. Read More