Writing About Nature

Introduction

There is a common thread that links these scenes and memories — the spectacle of life and all its varied manifestations as it has appeared, evolved, and sometimes died out. Underlying the beauty of the spectacle there is meaning and significance. It is the elusiveness of that meaning that haunts us, that sends us repeatedly into the natural world where the key to the riddle is hidden. – Rachel Carson, “Tides”¹

As an English Language Development (ELD) Lead Teacher at Monroe Demonstration Academy, I teach in a middle school with about 700 students located in an impoverished, semi-rural area on the north side of Tulsa. Approximately 30% of our students require English Language Development, and within the ELD student population 92.1% are eligible for free and reduced lunch and need a strong foundation of support. My classes have students with various English proficiency levels, ranging from newcomers to those born here that speak another language at home. As a result, our diverse and multilingual learners must confront emotional distractions, varying literacy levels, and different learning styles and motivations. It becomes essential to create safe learning environments that foster both academic and emotional growth.

Over time, I have discovered that my students make significant progress when they work towards personal learning objectives, taking small but consistent steps toward their goals. It becomes essential for me to differentiate and scaffold my instruction to cater to students’ individual needs. Above all, my overarching goal as a teacher is to foster a genuine passion for learning among my students. This unit has been carefully crafted to cater to a wide range of English Language Learners and extend beyond the immigrant student population; the lessons hold universal applications that can benefit students across various content areas.  I have strived to create a cross-curricular learning experience that addresses self-identity challenges commonly faced by students in 6^th to 8^th grade. Through this approach I aim to empower my students to embrace their individual stories, encouraging them to appreciate the beauty of their own identities and the rich diversity of the world that surrounds them.