Advocacy is a course that integrates social studies with reading, writing, and speaking, giving student learning English and Spanish a space to practice and experiment.

The main purpose of the Advocacy course is to translate learning into action, so learning has meaning and purpose – there are many topics of environmental justice and sustainability that are all rooted in injustices that need resolution. For example, studying supply chains not just as an economic phenomenon but how supply chains impact the environment and the people who live and work within that supply chain – the supply of chocolate, fresh vegetables, or cheap clothing illustrates this point. A class could combine this study with a reading of Esperanza Rising and a visit to a grocer or farmer to talk through this process.

Research shows that integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum organized around relevant themes is an effective approach to increasing student achievement. Integrated curriculum allows students to apply skills to new materials, to retrieve information more rapidly, to discern multiple perspectives, and to encourage greater depth and breadth in learning. Student attitudes toward comprehensive, integrated curriculum approaches are far more positive than to traditional instructional methods.