ALEX Classroom Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [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) -5 :

R2. Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

[ELA2021] (6) 28 :

28. Discover word meanings through active listening in various contexts.

Examples: classroom discussion, oral presentations, digital formats

The Flip-a-Chip activity turns ordinary poker chips into a teaching tool, showing students how different affixes and roots can be joined to make words and then placed into a context-rich paragraph. Each set of chips contains two-word roots and two affixes that can be combined into four different words. For example, the prefixes im- and sup- might be written on the two sides of one poker chip, and the roots pose and press on the other chip. The four possible words (impose, impress, suppose, suppress ) are inserted into four blanks in a paragraph according to context clues. After practicing with both real and "virtual" chips (in the Flip-a-Chip online interactive), students work in pairs to create their own set of chips and corresponding paragraph. They exchange their packets to see whether the context clues are strong enough to enable classmates to fill in the blanks correctly.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [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) -5 :

R2. Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

[ELA2021] (6) -3 :

R4. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

[ELA2021] (6) 24 :

24. Write about research findings independently over short and/or extended periods of time.

"I feel good." "It was nice." "That was bad." Students respond to teachers' questions with these generic descriptions all the time, leaving teachers to dig deeper to figure out what students are really trying to say. Second-language learners also struggle to use descriptive words in written and oral language and tend to overuse common words, such as good, bad, and nice, due to their lack of knowledge of specific synonyms. In this multisession lesson, word webs are used to expose students to synonyms for common words, to help students choose synonyms that are appropriate for a given context, and to encourage students to use more descriptive words in their speech and writing. Student pairs then use words from the web in a skit they present to the class.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (6) -5 :

R2. Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

[ELA2021] (6) 7 :

7. Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

a. Write narratives incorporating key literary elements, including characters, plot, setting, point of view, resolution of a conflict, dialogue, and sensory details.

b. Write informative or explanatory texts with an organized structure and a formal style, incorporating a focused point of view, a clear purpose, credible evidence, and technical word meanings.

c. Write an argument to convince the reader to take an action or adopt a position, stating a claim and supporting the claim with relevant, well-organized evidence from credible sources.

[ELA2021] (6) 28 :

28. Discover word meanings through active listening in various contexts.

Examples: classroom discussion, oral presentations, digital formats

[ELA2021] (7) -5 :

R2. Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

[ELA2021] (7) 7 :

7. Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

a. Write narratives to convey a series of events incorporating key literary elements, establishing a clear purpose, using narrative techniques (dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection), and sequencing events coherently (chronological and/or flashback).

b. Write informative or explanatory texts with an organized structure and a formal style to examine ideas or processes effectively while developing the topic and utilizing appropriate transitions, precise vocabulary, and credible information or data when relevant.

c. Write an argument to defend a position by introducing and supporting claim(s), acknowledging alternate or opposing claims, and presenting reasons and relevant text evidence from accurate and credible sources.

[ELA2021] (7) 31 :

31. Infer word meaning through active listening in various contexts for purposeful, effective communication.

Examples: classroom discussion, oral presentations, digital formats

[ELA2021] (8) -5 :

R2. Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

[ELA2021] (8) 8 :

8. Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

a. Write narratives that establish a clear purpose, use narrative techniques, and sequence events coherently.

Examples: narratives - memoir, short story, personal narrative; techniques - dialogue, pacing, description, reflection;
sequencing - chronological, reverse chronological, flashback

b. Write informative or explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas or processes effectively, by developing the topic with relevant information or data from credible sources and using appropriate transitions and precise vocabulary.

c. Write an argument to defend a position by introducing and supporting a claim, distinguishing the claim from opposing claims, presenting counterclaims and reasons, and citing accurate, relevant textual evidence from credible sources.

[ELA2021] (8) 30 :

30. Analyze and connect word meanings through active listening in various contexts for purposeful, effective communication.

Examples: classroom discussion, oral presentations, digital formats

Engage middle school students in a meaningful study of the lives of students from across the globe through the use of contemporary nonfiction and fiction. Students create personal autobiographies, sequence story events, and prepare well-crafted summaries while learning to use higher-level comprehension strategies such as Question-Answer Relationships and the Bio-Cube. Additionally, students conduct a critical study of the NCSS Notable Tradebook Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story From Afghanistan by Jeanette Winter, comparing and contrasting their own lives to Nasreen's and expanding their geographical knowledge of the Middle East.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [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) -5 :

R2. Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

[ELA2021] (6) 7 :

7. Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

a. Write narratives incorporating key literary elements, including characters, plot, setting, point of view, resolution of a conflict, dialogue, and sensory details.

b. Write informative or explanatory texts with an organized structure and a formal style, incorporating a focused point of view, a clear purpose, credible evidence, and technical word meanings.

c. Write an argument to convince the reader to take an action or adopt a position, stating a claim and supporting the claim with relevant, well-organized evidence from credible sources.

[ELA2021] (6) 23 :

23. Use an audio or audio-visual source of information to obtain the answer to a question.

[ELA2021] (7) -5 :

R2. Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

[ELA2021] (7) 7 :

7. Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

a. Write narratives to convey a series of events incorporating key literary elements, establishing a clear purpose, using narrative techniques (dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection), and sequencing events coherently (chronological and/or flashback).

b. Write informative or explanatory texts with an organized structure and a formal style to examine ideas or processes effectively while developing the topic and utilizing appropriate transitions, precise vocabulary, and credible information or data when relevant.

c. Write an argument to defend a position by introducing and supporting claim(s), acknowledging alternate or opposing claims, and presenting reasons and relevant text evidence from accurate and credible sources.

[ELA2021] (8) -4 :

R3. Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically when researching and writing, both individually and collaboratively.

[ELA2021] (8) 8 :

8. Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

a. Write narratives that establish a clear purpose, use narrative techniques, and sequence events coherently.

Examples: narratives - memoir, short story, personal narrative; techniques - dialogue, pacing, description, reflection;
sequencing - chronological, reverse chronological, flashback

b. Write informative or explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas or processes effectively, by developing the topic with relevant information or data from credible sources and using appropriate transitions and precise vocabulary.

c. Write an argument to defend a position by introducing and supporting a claim, distinguishing the claim from opposing claims, presenting counterclaims and reasons, and citing accurate, relevant textual evidence from credible sources.

[ELA2021] (8) 25 :

25. Produce research writings independently over extended periods of time which encompass research, reflection, and revision and over shorter time frames.

Examples: a day or two, a single sitting

Students are engaged and motivated to build content-area vocabulary through the creation of ABC books. A small-group activity introduces a variety of ABC books, including books for older readers that use the letters of the alphabet as a starting point to present information about a featured subject. Students then decide on a style and structure for their own alphabet books and choose a word for each letter from content area textbooks, encyclopedias, reference books, or suggested websites. A storyboard is constructed including each of the 26 words, the context in which it will appear, and a quick sketch of the proposed illustration. Students' final ABC books are created using either the interactive Alphabet Organizer or PowerPoint.