ALEX Resources

Narrow Results:
Lesson Plans (1) A detailed description of the instruction for teaching one or more concepts or skills. Unit Plans (1)  Learning Activities (1) Building blocks of a lesson plan that include before, during, and after strategies to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill. Classroom Resources (11)


ALEX Lesson Plans  
   View Standards     Standard(s): [SC2015] (3) 11 :
11 ) Construct an argument from evidence to explain the likelihood of an organism's ability to survive when compared to the resources in a certain habitat (e.g., freshwater organisms survive well, less well, or not at all in saltwater; desert organisms survive well, less well, or not at all in woodlands).

a. Construct explanations that forming groups helps some organisms survive.

b. Create models that illustrate how organisms and their habitats make up a system in which the parts depend on each other.

c. Categorize resources in various habitats as basic materials (e.g., sunlight, air, freshwater, soil), produced materials (e.g., food, fuel, shelter), or as nonmaterial (e.g., safety, instinct, nature-learned behaviors).

[SC2015] (4) 9 :
9 ) Examine evidence to support an argument that the internal and external structures of plants (e.g., thorns, leaves, stems, roots, colored petals, xylem, phloem) and animals (e.g., heart, stomach, lung, brain, skin) function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (4) -4 :
R3. Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically when researching and writing, both individually and collaboratively.
[ELA2021] (3) 35 :
35. Write an argument to convince the reader to take an action or adopt a position, using an introduction, logical reasoning supported by evidence from various sources, and a conclusion.
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (3) -3 :
R3. Expand background knowledge and build vocabulary through discussion, reading, and writing.
[ELA2021] (5) -4 :
R3. Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically when researching and writing, both individually and collaboratively.
[ELA2021] (4) 37 :
37. Write an argument to persuade the reader to take an action or adopt a position, using an introduction, logical reasoning supported by evidence from relevant sources, and linking words to connect their argument to the evidence.
[ELA2021] (5) 36 :
36. Write an argument to persuade the reader to take an action or adopt a position, stating a claim, supporting the claim with relevant evidence from sources, using connectives to link ideas, and presenting a strong conclusion.

Examples: first, as a result, therefore, in addition
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (3) 35 :
35. Write an argument to convince the reader to take an action or adopt a position, using an introduction, logical reasoning supported by evidence from various sources, and a conclusion.
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (3) -3 :
R3. Expand background knowledge and build vocabulary through discussion, reading, and writing.
[ELA2021] (4) -4 :
R3. Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically when researching and writing, both individually and collaboratively.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (4) 37 :
37. Write an argument to persuade the reader to take an action or adopt a position, using an introduction, logical reasoning supported by evidence from relevant sources, and linking words to connect their argument to the evidence.
[ELA2021] (5) -4 :
R3. Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically when researching and writing, both individually and collaboratively.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 36 :
36. Write an argument to persuade the reader to take an action or adopt a position, stating a claim, supporting the claim with relevant evidence from sources, using connectives to link ideas, and presenting a strong conclusion.

Examples: first, as a result, therefore, in addition
Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 5), or Science (3 - 4)
Title: Animal Adaptions for Grades 3-5
Description:

HyperSlides are digital lessons/units that help students learn the material in a way that is engaging and inquiry-based. Students will work together to complete a HyperSlides unit centering around animal adaptations for standards in grades 3-5. Students will work creatively and collaboratively with a variety of Course of Study standards that engage students through using Google Slides and Hyperlinks to assist in the understanding of animal adaptations. This project will take several class periods to complete. After an introduction to the Hyperslides, students are encouraged to work at their own pace, but Hyperslides can be assigned on a daily basis.

This Lesson Plan was created in partnership with the Birmingham Zoo.




ALEX Unit Plans  
   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 38 :
38. Gather information on a topic or question, and share the results through various modes of writing, including projects and presentations.

a. Locate information in print and digital sources.

b. Summarize, quote, and paraphrase information in notes and finished work, providing a list of sources.

c. Integrate information from several texts on the same topic into presentations of research.
[ELA2021] (5) 26 :
26. Analyze how two or more texts address similar topics in diverse media and formats, including graphics, live and/or recorded performances, and written works.

a. Explain how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the overall meaning and tone of a text.

b. Compare and contrast the approaches to theme in several stories within a genre.

c. Locate information quickly within a text and apply information from multiple sources to analysis of the topics.

d. Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.

e. Compare the approaches of several authors of articles about the same or similar topics.
[SS2010] USS5 (5) 3 :
3 ) Distinguish differences among major American Indian cultures in North America according to geographic region, natural resources, community organization, economy, and belief systems.

•  Locating on a map American Indian nations according to geographic region
[MA2019] (5) 5 :
5. Use place value understanding to round decimals to thousandths.
[MA2019] (5) 4 :
4. Read, write, and compare decimals to thousandths.

a. Read and write decimals to thousandths using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form.

Example: 347.392 = 3 × 100 + 4 × 10 + 7 × 1 + 3 × (1/10) + 9 × (1/100) + 2 × (1/1000).

b. Compare two decimals to thousandths based on the meaning of the digits in each place, using >, =, and < to record the results of comparisons.
[SC2015] (5) 11 :
11 ) Create a model to illustrate the transfer of matter among producers; consumers, including scavengers and decomposers; and the environment.


Title: Natural Resources Shared Naturally
Unit Plan Overview: Natural resources provides what living things need to survive and thrive. This unit explores the transfer of energy throughout the food chain, investigates the amounts of rainfall in a region, examines the patterns of Native Americans settling adjacent to water, and guides students as they design animals that would survive in a wet biome. The math, science, history, and language arts lessons included are strong enough to stand alone, but when taught simultaneously, strengthen each of the 5th grade standards. This unit was created as part of the ALEX Interdisciplinary Resource Development Summit.



Go To Top of page
ALEX Learning Activities  
   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[MA2019] (5) 8 :
8. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredths using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationships between addition/subtraction and multiplication/division; relate the strategy to a written method, and explain the reasoning used.

a. Use concrete models and drawings to solve problems with decimals to hundredths.

b. Solve problems in a real-world context with decimals to hundredths.
[MA2019] (4) 10 :
10. Use place value strategies to fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers and connect strategies to the standard algorithm.
[MA2019] (3) 11 :
11. Use various strategies to add and subtract fluently within 1000.

[DLIT] (3) 5 :
R5) Locate and curate information from digital sources to answer research questions.

[DLIT] (5) 5 :
R5) Locate and curate information from digital sources to answer research questions.

[DLIT] (4) 5 :
R5) Locate and curate information from digital sources to answer research questions.

Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 5), Mathematics (3 - 5), Digital Literacy and Computer Science (3 - 5)
Title: Digital Breakout Safari for Grades 3-5
Description:

This Digital Breakout is a perfect way to enhance a unit of study with animal standards for grades 3-5. It can be used before or after a unit of study or a field trip to the Birmingham Zoo. Students will work creatively and collaboratively to solve academic puzzles to unlock an answer. Academic puzzles are centered around a variety of Course of Study standards that engage students through the Breakout process. This activity can be done as a whole group for students that are not familiar with the Digital Breakout process. This activity can be done in small groups in grades 2-5 with students that are familiar with the Digital Breakout process.  

This Learning Activity was created in partnership with the Birmingham Zoo. 




ALEX Learning Activities: 1

Go To Top of page
ALEX Classroom Resources  
   View Standards     Standard(s): [SC2015] (5) 17 :
17 ) Design solutions, test, and revise a process for cleaning a polluted environment (e.g., simulating an oil spill in the ocean or a flood in a city and creating a solution for containment and/or cleanup).*

[ELA2021] (5) 5 :
5. Demonstrate fluency when independently reading, writing, and speaking in response to grade-level literary and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
Subject: Science (5), English Language Arts (5)
Title: Paradise Lost
URL: https://www.readworks.org/article/Paradise-Lost/ae164a9a-91c7-44b4-bfcb-f81a1c27bd22#!articleTab:content/
Description:

The teacher will present an informational text from the website, ReadWorks. Students will interact with this non-fiction text by annotating the text digitally. The students will answer the questions associated with the article as an assessment. This learning activity can provide the background information needed for students to design a solution for cleaning a polluted environment, serve as reinforcement after students have already learned this concept, or be used as an assessment at the conclusion of a lesson. 



   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] GHS (3) 12 :
12 ) Explain the significance of representations of American values and beliefs, including the Statue of Liberty, the statue of Lady Justice, the United States flag, and the national anthem.

[SS2010] ALA (4) 14 :
14 ) Analyze the modern Civil Rights Movement to determine the social, political, and economic impact on Alabama.

•  Recognizing important persons of the modern Civil Rights Movement, including Martin Luther King, Jr.; George C. Wallace; Rosa Parks; Fred Shuttlesworth; John Lewis; Malcolm X; Thurgood Marshall; Hugo Black; and Ralph David Abernathy
•  Describing events of the modern Civil Rights Movement, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, the Freedom Riders bus bombing, and the Selma-to-Montgomery March
•  Explaining benefits of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and Brown versus Board of Education Supreme Court case of 1954
•  Using vocabulary associated with the modern Civil Rights Movement, including discrimination, prejudice, segregation, integration, suffrage, and rights
[SS2010] USS5 (5) 11 :
11 ) Identify causes of the Civil War, including states' rights and the issue of slavery.

•  Describing the importance of the Missouri Compromise, Nat Turner's insurrection, the Compromise of 1850, the Dred Scott decision, John Brown's rebellion, and the election of 1860
•  Recognizing key Northern and Southern personalities, including Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Joseph Wheeler (Alabama)
•  Describing social, economic, and political conditions that affected citizens during the Civil War
•  Identifying Alabama's role in the Civil War (Alabama)
Examples: Montgomery as the first capital of the Confederacy, Winston County's opposition to Alabama's secession (Alabama)

•  Locating on a map sites important to the Civil War
Examples: Mason-Dixon Line, Fort Sumter, Appomattox, Gettysburg, Confederate states, Union states (Alabama)

•  Explaining events that led to the conclusion of the Civil War
[ELA2021] (3) -3 :
R3. Expand background knowledge and build vocabulary through discussion, reading, and writing.
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (3) 39 :
39. Gather and evaluate information about a topic from a variety of sources, including digital sources, and utilize it to create a project, report, or presentation.

a. Avoid plagiarism by using their own words and utilizing digital sources ethically.
[ELA2021] (4) 32 :
32. Respond in writing to literature and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts, both independently and with support, demonstrating grade-level proficiency.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 32 :
32. Respond in writing to literature and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts, independently and with grade-level proficiency.
[ELA2021] (5) 37 :
37. Write about research findings independently over short and/or extended periods of time.
Subject: Social Studies (3 - 5), English Language Arts (3 - 5)
Title: Storytelling in the Social Studies Classroom
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/storytelling-social-studies-classroom-928.html
Description:

In this unit, students tell their own stories and explore the stories of other Americans. Hearing and telling these stories helps students realize that social studies is not simply the study of history, but an exploration of real people and their lives. Students begin by telling stories about their personal experiences. They then explore the character traits that promote democratic ideals and tell stories about family members who exemplify these traits. Finally, they conduct research and share stories about famous Americans. Practiced skills include reading, researching, visually representing, writing, and presenting.



   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (3) -3 :
R3. Expand background knowledge and build vocabulary through discussion, reading, and writing.
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 5)
Title: Daily Book Boosts
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/daily-book-boosts-64.html
Description:

Each day at the end of their independent reading time, students give Book Boosts, one-minute raves about books they've read. Students select a book that they really enjoyed and then give a one-minute talk that generates interest in the book but does not give away the book's ending. Students can boost their books in a variety of ways, including creating alternate book covers, designing posters or flyers, or making promotional bookmarks. Have students take turns giving book boosts with two students giving a Book Boost each class day. These Book Boosts are easy ways to suggest a multitude of titles to students, and they act as a way for students to have something to think about as they read.



   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (3) -5 :
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
[ELA2021] (3) 1 :
1. Contribute meaningful ideas to discussions with groups and peers utilizing agreed upon rules.

a. Elaborate on responses in conversations and discussions.

Examples: use precise, descriptive language; build upon previously expressed ideas
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (3) 22 :
22. Describe literary elements within a story, including setting, plot, characters, and themes.

a. Describe in detail the characters' behavior, emotions, and traits and explain how their actions influence events in the story.

b. Explain how the characters' actions and dialogue contribute to the meaning of the story.

c. Identify the central message, theme, or moral in a story, including myths, fables, and folktales, and explain the meaning conveyed in the passage.

d. Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots from two texts.
[ELA2021] (4) -6 :
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (4) 15 :
15. Analyze in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

a. Identify and explain attitudes and influences of multiple characters within a text.

b. Explain how the main character changes throughout the story, using explicit evidence from the text.

c. Make an inference about a character's behavior, the setting, and/or specific events, using explicit details from the story.
[ELA2021] (5) -6 :
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 19 :
19. Interpret how authors use literary elements throughout a text, including character, setting, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
[ELA2021] (6) -6 :
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
[ELA2021] (6) 3 :
3. Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.
Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 6)
Title: American Folklore: A Jigsaw Character Study
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/american-folklore-jigsaw-character-30524.html
Description:

Collaborative groups will read a variety of American tall tales, then report elements of their story to the whole class. Students add story information to a collaborative, whole-class character study matrix that summarizes all the stories. In a writing activity, students compare two characters of their choice. Support for English Language Learners (ELLs) is embedded in the guided collaborative process, while the content of the stories adds to all students' knowledge of American culture and history. The stories used in the lesson include well-known and lesser-known diverse characters. The lesson process is applicable to any set of related texts.



   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (3) 24 :
24. Identify the text structures within literary and informational texts.

a. Explain how the structures, including comparison and contrast, sequence of events, problem and solution, and cause and effect, contribute to the meaning of the text, using textual evidence.
[ELA2021] (3) 33 :
33. Write personal or fictional narratives with a logical plot (sequence of events), characters, transitions, and a sense of closure.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (4) 35 :
35. Write personal or fictional narratives using a logical plot, transitional words and phrases, sensory details, and dialogue, and providing a sense of closure.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 34 :
34. Write personal or fictional narratives incorporating literary elements (characters, plot, setting, conflict), dialogue, strong voice, and clear event sequences.
Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 5)
Title: Unwinding a Circular Plot: Prediction Strategies in Reading and Writing
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/unwinding-circular-plot-prediction-292.html
Description:

Circular stories follow a “round” pattern—they begin and end in the same way. Like the cycle of seasons or the life cycle, circular stories follow a predictable series of events that returns to the starting point. Building on students' existing knowledge of plot structure and of cycles in other content areas, this lesson invites students to use a circle plot graphic organizer to explore the structure of this type of story. The cyclical nature of the stories is an excellent match for the discussion of prediction and sequencing skills. After exploring the features of circular plot stories and reading a model story, such as Laura Joffe Numeroff's If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, students write their own stories individually or in small groups.



   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (3) -3 :
R3. Expand background knowledge and build vocabulary through discussion, reading, and writing.
[ELA2021] (3) 4 :
4. Ask and answer questions using complete sentences and grade-level vocabulary.
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (4) -6 :
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) -6 :
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
[ELA2021] (5) 9 :
9. Express ideas clearly and effectively to diverse partners or groups.

a. Pose and respond to explicit questions in ways that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.

b. Verbally summarize information read aloud or presented in diverse media and formats.

c. Report orally on a topic or text, sequencing ideas logically and supporting main ideas with appropriate facts and relevant details.

d. Speak clearly at an understandable rate.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 5)
Title: What If We Changed the Book? Problem-Posing With Sixteen Cows
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/what-changed-book-problem-815.html
Description:

A piece of math-related children's literature, Sixteen Cows, is used to demonstrate the strategy of problem-posing. After hearing the story read aloud, students are invited to brainstorm some literary and mathematical observations of the story. With the teacher's guidance, students then turn those observations into "what-if" mathematical extensions. These extensions become mathematical problems that students solve, both individually and as a whole class. Since this strategy highlights changing attributes of a story, it underscores for children the range of choices that authors have.



   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 5)
Title: Book Report Alternative: Creating a New Book Cover
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/book-report-alternative-creating-b-972.html?tab=1#tabs
Description:

The proverb says, “You can't judge a book by its cover.” In this lesson plan, students are not judging what is inside the book, but what is on the cover itself. What does it include? Why? What is left off? Why do you think that is? After examining many book covers and dust jackets, students recreate a cover or dust jacket for a selected book; then, they share their creations with their classmates and explain the changes they made or what they chose to keep. Students use a checklist to make sure they have all of the needed components, and the teacher can use the checklist as an assessment piece.



   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (3) -1 :
R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (3) 33 :
33. Write personal or fictional narratives with a logical plot (sequence of events), characters, transitions, and a sense of closure.
[ELA2021] (3) 34 :
34. Write informative or explanatory texts about a topic using sources, including an introduction, facts, relevant details with elaboration, and a conclusion.
[ELA2021] (4) -3 :
R4. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (4) 32 :
32. Respond in writing to literature and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts, both independently and with support, demonstrating grade-level proficiency.
[ELA2021] (4) 35 :
35. Write personal or fictional narratives using a logical plot, transitional words and phrases, sensory details, and dialogue, and providing a sense of closure.
[ELA2021] (4) 36 :
36. Write informative or explanatory text about a topic using sources, incorporating academic vocabulary, and including an introduction, facts, details with elaboration, and a conclusion.
[ELA2021] (5) -3 :
R4. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 32 :
32. Respond in writing to literature and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts, independently and with grade-level proficiency.
[ELA2021] (5) 34 :
34. Write personal or fictional narratives incorporating literary elements (characters, plot, setting, conflict), dialogue, strong voice, and clear event sequences.
[ELA2021] (5) 35 :
35. Write informative or explanatory texts using multiple sources to examine a topic, conveying ideas and information clearly and incorporating a strong organizational structure, relevant details, and elaboration.
Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 5)
Title: Blending Fiction and Nonfiction to Improve Comprehension and Writing Skills
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/blending-fiction-nonfiction-improve-262.html
Description:

This lesson supports the use of a text set (paired fiction and nonfiction texts on a similar topic) to increase student interest in and understanding of content area material and to develop critical writing skills. The more familiar format of narrative fiction introduces the topic and generates confidence in exploring the less familiar genre of nonfiction. Students then demonstrate what they have learned about the topic and about text genres by writing an original piece that blends together narrative and expository elements.



   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (3) -3 :
R3. Expand background knowledge and build vocabulary through discussion, reading, and writing.
[ELA2021] (3) 18 :
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
[ELA2021] (3) 42 :
42. Write poetry or prose in response to visual images to interpret their meanings.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (4) 32 :
32. Respond in writing to literature and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts, both independently and with support, demonstrating grade-level proficiency.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 32 :
32. Respond in writing to literature and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts, independently and with grade-level proficiency.
Subject: English Language Arts (3 - 5)
Title: Peace Poems and Picasso Doves: Literature, Art, Technology, and Poetry
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/peace-poems-picasso-doves-93.html
Description:

This lesson supports third through fifth-grade students as they apply think-aloud strategies to reading, as well as to the composition of artwork and poetry. Activities include collaborative as well as individual work. Technology tools are integrated as students research symbols of peace and as they prewrite, compose, and publish their poetry.



   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (4) 5 :
5. Demonstrate fluency when reading grade-level text and when responding through writing or speaking.
[ELA2021] (4) 14 :
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (4) 32 :
32. Respond in writing to literature and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts, both independently and with support, demonstrating grade-level proficiency.
[ELA2021] (5) 5 :
5. Demonstrate fluency when independently reading, writing, and speaking in response to grade-level literary and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts.
[ELA2021] (5) 16 :
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
[ELA2021] (5) 32 :
32. Respond in writing to literature and informational text, including stories, dramas, poetry, and cross-curricular texts, independently and with grade-level proficiency.
Subject: English Language Arts (4 - 5)
Title: Guided Comprehension: Monitoring Using the INSERT Technique
URL: http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/guided-comprehension-monitoring-using-230.html
Description:

While students in grades 4–6 often have the necessary skills to decode words, they sometimes struggle with comprehending the words they have read. In this lesson, students use the INSERT (Interactive Notation to Effective Reading and Thinking) technique to help them monitor their own thinking and make connections between texts and their own experiences. Students begin with an introduction to the strategy and a teacher-directed demonstration of the strategy using a text about mummies. Students are then given an opportunity to practice the strategy in small groups and reflect on the benefits of the INSERT technique. In subsequent sessions, students are divided into three instructional-level groups to practice using the strategy and participate in various writing and reading activities.



ALEX Classroom Resources: 10

Go To Top of page