Culturally Responsive Lesson Builder

Cultural Connection (10 min): 'Turn and talk: What foods does your family grow, cook, or eat that come from plants or animals? Think about recipes from your grandparents or countries your family is from.' Chart student responses. Teacher language: 'Every culture has deep knowledge about ecosystems — your families have been observing and working with plants and animals for generations.' Academic Rigor — Direct Instruction (15 min): Teach internal/external structures using examples from organisms students named. A fish's gills (connect to fishing families), a bean plant's root system (connect to home gardens). Students create labeled diagrams of one organism from their family's food traditions. Multiple Ways of Knowing (10 min): Invite a community elder or parent who gardens/fishes to share how they observe animal and plant structures in their practice. If unavailable, use a short video of a local community gardener. Frame this as 'expert knowledge' alongside textbook knowledge. Collaborative Structure (20 min): Groups of 4 build a food web using organisms from at least 2 different cultural food traditions represented in the class. Each group must explain how internal/external structures support each organism's role. Authentic Audience (ongoing): Groups create a 'Food Web Field Guide' page for the community garden, with organism drawings, structure labels, and cultural food connections. These will be laminated and displayed at the garden for community visitors.