Teachers routinely report that they feel pressured to teach to standardized assessments. Narrowing the curriculum may help students succeed on standardized assessments, but it rarely leads to long-lasting academic success. Authentic, relevant, and rigorous instruction in newcomer English learner (EL) classrooms, however, can create long-term learners while assisting students in mastering standardized exams. It is critical that adolescent ELs are academically challenged because they are in a race against time to master content and assessments in order to graduate. This article provides research-based activities and ideas to facilitate learning in linguistically and culturally diverse adolescent EL classrooms.