Biliteracy Unit Framework 

(adapted from Beeman & Urow by MHH) 
 
Grade: 4th Grade  
Content Area  Language in which this
Science  content area is taught: 
Spanish 
Storyline: 
Students have already learned how to write observations and hypothesis’ in their science
notebooks, worked with sentence frames, have been exposed to measurements such as
tempearature and other units. In this unit, students will learn the specific properties of different
objects, clearly describe the process of an objects changing states, and predict how an object
will change given a scenario. Students will be able to write down clear observations, predict
outcomes of an object after a change giving support for their hypothesis, and explain why their
answers are correct or incorrect. 
 
 
Content Big Ideas:  Time-frame: 
I want my students to understand that:   
1. Objects have specific properties that may or may A month 
not change. 
1. Things can move throughout states by either
warming or cooling them. 
1. These properties of objects can be measured
using different tools and observations.  
 
Language Arts Big Ideas: 
I want my students to understand that: 
1. Specific vocabulary is very important to use when
explaining  
what is occuring in a science setting. 
1. Sentence frames should be used to explain their
thinking clearly. 
 
 
Standards 

Content Area Standards   Language Arts Standards  Language Development

Standards 
 MN Science  CCSS.ELA- Standard 4 - English
4.2.1.1.1 Measure LITERACY.RI.4.9 - language learners
temperature, Integrate communicate information,
volume, weight and information from ideas and concepts necessary
length using two texts on the for academic success in the
appropriate tools
and units 
same topic in order content area of science. 
 
 MN Science to write or speak
4.2.1.2.1 about the subject
Distinguish knowledgeably. 
 between solids,  CCSS.ELA-
liquids and gases in LITERACY.SL.4.4
terms of shape and Report on a topic
volume  or text, tell a story,
 MN Science or recount an
4.2.1.2.2 Describe
how the states of
experience in an
matter change as a organized manner,
result of heating using appropriate
and cooling.   facts and relevant,
descriptive details
to support main
ideas or themes;
speak clearly at an
understandable
pace. 
 CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RI.4.3
Explain events,
procedures, ideas,
or concepts in a
historical, scientific,
or technical text,
including what
happened and
why, based on
specific information
in the text. 
Learning Targets  Formative Assessments 
Content Targets  Content Area 
Students will be able to:   Task  
 Measure temperature, volume, weight, and length  Task 
of a given object using the appropriate units and
tools.  
 Distinguish between a solid, liquid, and gas.  
 Describe what happens when a substance when
it is heated or cooled.  
 
 
Language Arts Targets  Speaking and Listening 
Speaking and Listening   Task  
Students will be able to:   Task  
 classify different objects based on their weight,  
temperature, volume, and length.    
  Reading 
Reading   Task  
Students will be able to:   Task 
 Comprehend a set list of directions in order to  
 perform an experiment accurately.   Writing 
   Task  
Writing   Task 
Students will be able to: 
 Describe the outcome of their experiements in a
comprehendible and detailed manner.  
Language Development Targets  Spanish 
 Spanish   Use a sentence
Students will be able to:  stem to orally
 Use vocabulary about measurements of an object describe different
to classify the objects in writing into groups regarding characteristisc of
form, size, and state.   an object. 
 Use different characteristics of objects to  Task  
distinguish orally two objects from one another.   English: 
 Use past tense to narrate in writing the effects a  Task  
change in temperature has on an object with specific  Task 
scientific details.    
English 
Students will be able to: 
 Use vocabulary about measurements of an object
to classify the objects in writing into groups regarding
form, size, and state. 
  
Summative Assessment for Unit 
Language – collect students’ science notebooks each week to see their progress regarding
language development and how they are using the vocabulary to make their
observations/hypothesis.  
 
Content  
 lab station quiz (half students): the students will have 8 specific tasks for
measuring volume, objects, fluidity, weight and temperature. The students will work
individually and at their own pace through the stations and write down the data that
they gather. The teacher would collect the paper to monitor student progress.  
 theoretic situations (other half of students): the students will be given two
theoretical situations about an object and how it changes. The students will have to
give a clear one paragraph description of what will happen to the object using the
appropriate vocabulary.  
Unit Section 
Building Oracy and Background Knowledge 
Language resources, linguistic creativity, and cultural funds of knowledge 
  
 
Building Oracy & Background Knowledge Activities 
  
 
 
 
 
Word Level  Sentence Level  Discourse Level 
(words students need to (sentence stems students need (patterns from mentor text) 
know)  to know) 
 
Reading Comprehension 
 
 
 
 
 
Word Level  Sentence Level  Discourse Level 
(words students need to know)  (sentence stems students need (patterns from mentor text) 
to know) 
 
 
 
 
Writing 
 
 
 
 
 
Word Level  Sentence Level  Discourse Level 
(words students need to know)  (sentence stems students need (patterns from mentor text) 
to know) 
 
 
 
 
 
Word Study and Fluency 
The Bridge 
Language of instruction 
 
 
Transfer Chart: 
English Term  Spanish Term 
(list here)  (list here) 
 
 
 
 
Metalinguistic Focus  
 
Contrastive Analysis chart(s) 
Pattern 1  Pattern 2 
   
 
 
Extension  
 
Language Arts Targets 
Speaking and Listening 
Students will be able to: 
  
 
Reading 
Students will be able to: 
  
 
Writing 
Students will be able to: 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Assessment/Assignment:  
Language – collect students’ science notebooks each week to see their progress regarding
language development and how they are using the vocabulary to make their observations
hypothesis. 
 
Content  
 Lab station quiz (half of students) - the students will have 8 specific tasks for
measuring volume, objects, fluidity, and temperature. The students will work
individually and at their own pace through the stations and write down their
answers in their data notebooks. The teacher would collect the paper to monitor
student progess. 
  Theoretical situations (other half) - the students will be given two theoretical
situations about an object and how it changes. The students will have to give a clear,
one paragraph description of what will happen to the object using the appropriate
vocabulary.  
 
(Example: Write a set of instructions using an introduction, sequential organization, detailed
description using appropriate grade-level vocabulary, sentence structures, and transition
words, and a conclusion for a self-selected content-based process.) 
 
Standards-based Content from the curriculum) 
Content Area Standards  Language Arts Standards  Language
Development
Standards 
-        MN Science 4.2.1.1.1 -        CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.9 - Standard 4 -
Measure temperature, Integrate information from two texts English language
volume, weight and on the same topic in order to write or learners communicate
length using speak about the subject information, ideas and
papropriate tools and concepts necessary
units 
knowledgeably. 
for academic success
-        MN Science 4.2.1.2.1 -        CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4 Report in the content area of
Distinguish between on a topic or text, tell a story, or science. 
solids, liquids and recount an experience in an  
gases in terms of organized manner, using
shape and volume  appropriate facts and relevant,
-        MN Science 4.2.1.2.2 descriptive details to support main
Describe how the ideas or themes; speak clearly at an
states of matter change
understandable pace. 
as a result of heating
and cooling.  -        CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3
Explain events, procedures, ideas,
or concepts in a historical, scientific,
or technical text, including what
happened and why, based on
specific information in the text. 
 
 
Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Level 4  Level 5  Non-ELL 
(or Non-SLL) 
Language-based Expectations 
Have students Write a short Write a one or Write a three- Write a Write a
draw, verbally one-sentence two-sentence sentence sequential sequential
describe, or use description of sequential sequential paragraph paragraph
one-word the scientific paragraph paragraph using content using content
descriptions to change/process using general using general vocabulary to vocabulary to
describe a using a and some and content mostly accurately
scientific sentence content vocabulary to describe a describe a
process.  stem.   vocabulary to describe a scientific scientific
describe a scientific change/proces change/proces
scientific change/process s.  s. 
change/process . 
. 
Scaffolding and Support 
Model sentence Shared writing  Sentence Paragraph Anchor charts   Model  
stems  Sentence stems  structure Vocabulary   TPR 
Shared writing  stems  Anchor charts   visual  Model   Collaboration 
Sentence Anchor charts   Vocabulary   Anchor charts   TPR  Small group
stems  Vocabulary   Model   Vocabulary   Collaboration  work 
Anchor charts   Model   TPR  Model   Small group Graphic
Vocabulary   TPR  Collaboration  TPR  work  organizers 
Model   Collaboration  Small group Collaboration  Graphic  
TPR  Small group work  Small group organizers 
Collaboration  work  Graphic work   
Small group Graphic organizers  Graphic
work  organizers    organizers 
Graphic     
organizers 
Essential Learning 
 
Describe and predict different scientific processes that matter can go through given a change.  
 
Language Demands 
 
Use drawings, oral and written language to describe a scientific process of an object.