One of the real-world phenomena that Alison highlighted in her science classroom was rising sea levels. She used this as an opportunity to teach students about states of matter and motion of particles due to thermal energy. Alison began by showing students a UN video about the island of Kiribati, which is currently sinking due to rising sea levels. A large portion of the video is spoken in Kiribati (both the name of the language and the name of the island) and also highlights a child’s experiences with the disappearing island. She notes that this lesson was a great way to help students connect real world problems to what they were learning, and assisted them in building their empathy and cross-cultural and linguistic connections. 

The slides below provide insight into how Alison incorporates translanguaging into her classroom and includes a portion of her lesson on rising sea levels around the world. Alison showcases the real-world consequences of this environmental issue with the video below that explores the impact of rising sea levels on the island of Kiribati.  It features portions spoken in the Kiribati language and shares the experiences of a child living on the island as it faces the threat of disappearing due to the rising waters.

Alison used this video as a teaching tool to connect the concept of rising sea levels with lessons on states of matter, particle motion driven by thermal energy, and to foster empathy among students. Additionally, it aimed to encourage cross-cultural and linguistic connections by exposing students to different cultures and languages while highlighting a pressing global issues. Copies of the video transcript in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese are also included, along with an image of one class period's discussion and shared brainstorming about why sea levels are rising.