By Quintanany Young, 8th Grade ESOL, Science Teacher

Chamblee, Georgia

Connecting thermal energy concepts to real-world fire safety

My journey with Xplorlabs and the Xplorlabs Educator Fellowship has been unique because it allowed me to bridge rigorous physical science content with real-world safety, while intentionally designing learning experiences that support multilingual learners.

As an 8th grade, ESOL, physical science teacher in Georgia, I am constantly thinking about how to make complex scientific concepts accessible without lowering expectations.

The fellowship gave me an opportunity to take standards about heat and thermal energy (GA Science S8P2), and transform them into a meaningful investigation where students could apply science to understand fire behavior and safety in their homes and communities.

The learning experience I designed centered around a simulated kitchen fire investigation from Xplorlabs’ Science of Fire Forensics. Students entered the classroom and were immediately presented with the aftermath of a fire scene. Instead of beginning the lesson with notes or definitions, they were asked to observe the scene, ask questions, and search for clues to determine how the fire started. Students had to think like fire investigators as they analyzed possible fuel sources, burn patterns, and how heat might have moved throughout the space.

What made this experience especially meaningful was seeing students move from curiosity to scientific reasoning. Rather than simply recalling vocabulary words like conduction, convection, and radiation, students were applying those ideas to explain a real-world situation. They built models, discussed possible causes, and debated their ideas with classmates. It became clear that the investigative approach allowed them to see science as a tool for solving problems rather than a set of isolated facts to memorize.

Science reveals safety

One of the most unforgettable moments from the experience happened during the investigation phase. Students were discussing how the fire might have spread through the kitchen when one student pointed to a burn pattern and said, “The heat probably moved up because hot air rises, so the fire spread this way.” That statement captured exactly what the lesson was meant to accomplish.

The student had connected the concept of convection to observable evidence in the investigation.

At that moment, science had become visible and meaningful. Another moment that has stayed with me came later in the lesson when we shifted the conversation toward fire safety and prevention. After learning how heat transfers and how fires spread, students began discussing how that knowledge could help people stay safe. As part of the activity, students designed escape routes for their homes and talked about how fire spreads through spaces like kitchens, hallways, and stairwells.

During this discussion, one student said, “I never thought about how we would get out if there was a fire at night.” That comment was powerful because it showed that the lesson had moved beyond academic learning into real-life awareness.

What made this learning experience particularly unique in my classroom was the strong ESOL context in which it was implemented.

Many of my students are multilingual learners who are simultaneously developing academic English while mastering complex scientific ideas, so implementing these lessons requires intentional differentiation so all students can participate.

Supporting multilingual learners in science and safety

To support my ESOL students, I incorporated multiple language scaffolds throughout the lesson. Visual supports played a key role. Diagrams of the fire triangle, images showing heat transfer, and labeled visuals helped students make connections between vocabulary and scientific phenomena. Sentence frames were also essential. Students were provided with structured language such as “I think the fire started because … ” or “The evidence shows … ” and “Heat moved by … ” to frame their discussions — giving them the confidence to communicate their thinking while practicing academic language.

Collaborative learning structures were another important adaptation. Students worked in pairs and small groups so they could discuss their ideas, build explanations together, and clarify their thinking through conversation. This peer interaction helped multilingual learners process new vocabulary and concepts in a supportive environment. By hearing and using academic language in context, students were able to strengthen both their scientific reasoning and their communication skills. Hands-on investigation also served as an equalizer for students at different language proficiency levels. This approach allowed students to demonstrate understanding through visuals, diagrams, and explanations rather than relying solely on written language.

Through this experience, I realized that inquiry-based science and language development can work powerfully together when lessons are intentionally designed. When students investigate real problems, they naturally use language to question, explain, and justify their thinking. The fellowship reinforced for me that differentiation does not mean simplifying science. Instead, it means providing multiple pathways for students to access and demonstrate understanding. With the right supports in place, multilingual learners can fully participate in rigorous STEM investigations and contribute valuable perspectives to the learning process. Some of the most meaningful moments during this lesson came not from my instruction, but from student conversations and discoveries.

Next steps for educators

For educators reading this story, my call to action is to embrace real-world investigation and design learning experiences that connect science content to issues that matter in students’ lives.

Start by looking at your standards and asking yourself how they might connect to authentic situations students could encounter in their homes
or communities. When students see how science explains real-world problems, their engagement and curiosity increases dramatically. I would also encourage educators to intentionally design lessons that support diverse learners. Differentiation and adaptation are essential for ensuring that all students, including multilingual learners, can access complex STEM concepts. Visual supports, sentence frames, collaborative discussion, and hands-on investigations can make rigorous science both accessible and empowering.