Date Approved

8-7-2026

Graduate Degree Type

Project

Degree Name

Education-Instruction and Curriculum: Secondary Education (M.Ed.)

Degree Program

College of Education

First Advisor

Sherie Klee

Academic Year

2025/2026

Abstract

Multilingual learners (MLs) continue to experience persistent achievement gaps in science, often due to the linguistic demands of academic language and the limited availability of instructional supports within general education classrooms. As classrooms become increasingly diverse, science teachers require practical instructional resources that promote equitable access to rigorous, standards based learning while supporting students' language development. This master's project addresses this need through the development of a differentiated seventh-grade chemistry unit aligned with the Michigan Middle School Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The project is grounded in the principles of differentiated instruction (DI), drawing upon the work of Tomlinson as well as the theories of Multiple Intelligences and the Zone of Proximal Development. Current research regarding instructional practices for ML informed the design of the curriculum. The unit integrates evidence based strategies including scaffolding, flexible grouping, formative assessment, tiered assignments, culturally responsive assessment practices, visual supports, graphic organizers, vocabulary development, and structured opportunities for scientific discourse. The curriculum includes a complete unit outline, detailed lesson plans, presentation slides, student learning materials, formative and summative assessments, teacher reflection tools, and instructional scaffolds intended to support both science content learning and academic language development. While the project was designed specifically for seventh-grade chemistry, the instructional strategies may be adapted for implementation across other middle school science units and diverse classroom settings. By providing classroom-ready instructional resources grounded in current research, this project aims to support equitable science instruction for MLs while serving as a practical model for middle school teachers seeking to implement DI within standards based science classrooms.

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