ALEX Classroom Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (6) 2 :

2. Make inferences and draw logical conclusions from the content and structures of informational texts, including comparison and contrast, problem and solution, claims and evidence, cause and effect, description, and sequencing.

[ELA2021] (6) 23 :

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

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30. Read and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines to determine how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content organization.

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29. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines to determine how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content organization.

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7. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines to determine how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content organization.

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7. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines to determine how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content organization.

[ELA2021] (11) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

[ELA2021] (12) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

Students watch how a Chinese watchdog group is protecting the environment with this video and educational resources from PBS NewsHour from December 7, 2015. After, students read an informational text related to the video and respond to open-ended questions. This resource provides students with the opportunity to make inferences, summarize, and cite what the text says explicitly. The resource also includes domain-specific vocabulary. 

   View Standards     Standard(s): [MA2019] MOD-19 (9-12) 16 :

16. Create a linear representation of non-linear data and interpret solutions, using technology and the process of linearization with logarithms.

[ELA2021] (11) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

[ELA2021] (12) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

How do pilots fly a plane when the autopilot isn't working? How do they quickly make the calculations necessary to stay on course and arrive safely at their destinations? By using linearization, a pilot turns a difficult calculation into a simple one and corrects his flight path.

This informational material will apply a mathematical modeling concept--linearization of a non-linear function--to the real-world problem of pilots creating flight paths. There is a video and links to additional information included.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [MA2019] PRE-19 (9-12) 37 :

37. Use trigonometric identities to solve problems.

a. Use the Pythagorean identity sin² (θ) + cos²(θ) = 1 to derive the other forms of the identity.

Example: 1 + cot² (θ) = csc² (θ)

b. Use the angle sum formulas for sine, cosine, and tangent to derive the double angle formulas.

c. Use the Pythagorean and double angle identities to prove other simple identities.

[ELA2021] (11) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

[ELA2021] (12) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

Is it possible to make a bad picture into a good picture with photo editing? When scientists enhance pictures from telescopes, are they really doing science, or are they just indulging their imaginations? Just how far can you zoom in to get information? When you're manipulating images, you have to be able to separate usable information from background noise.

This article will explain how photo editing software uses trigonometric identities and substitution to adjust the value of pixels in an image. There is a corresponding video and links to additional information.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SC2015] ENVS (9-12) 3 :

3 ) Use mathematics and graphic models to compare factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems.

[SC2015] ENVS (9-12) 4 :

4 ) Engage in argument from evidence to evaluate how biological or physical changes within ecosystems (e.g., ecological succession, seasonal flooding, volcanic eruptions) affect the number and types of organisms, and that changing conditions may result in a new or altered ecosystem.

[MA2019] PRE-19 (9-12) 7 :

7. Determine numerically, algebraically, and graphically the limits of functions at specific values and at infinity.

a. Apply limits of functions at specific values and at infinity in problems involving convergence and divergence.

[ELA2021] (11) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

[ELA2021] (12) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

They're an important part of the ecosystem. They prevent disease and clean up carrion. Yet, they're also a nuisance to homeowners and a threat to livestock. Their population has recovered and grows at an incredible rate. At what point can we say that there are too many black vultures in America?

This informational material will apply a precalculus concept--limits of functions--to an environmental science issue--how biological and physical changes within an ecosystem can affect the population growth of a species. There are additional links provided for students to explore more about this issue. 

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] SOC (9-12) 11 :

11 ) Contrast population patterns using the birth rate, death rate, migration rate, and dependency rate.

•  Identifying the impact of urbanization on human social patterns

•  Analyzing factors that affect the depletion of natural resources for their impact on social and economic development

•  Projecting future population patterns

[MA2019] PRE-19 (9-12) 25 :

25. Calculate and interpret the average rate of change of a function (presented symbolically or as a table) over a specified interval. Estimate the rate of change from a graph. Extend from polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, and radical to rational and all trigonometric functions.

a. Find the difference quotient ^{f(x+Î"x)-f(x)}/_Î"x of a function and use it to evaluate the average rate of change at a point.

b. Explore how the average rate of change of a function over an interval (presented symbolically or as a table) can be used to approximate the instantaneous rate of change at a point as the interval decreases.

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8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

[ELA2021] (12) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

In 1979 China introduced its one-child policy. Communist leaders hoped to raise the average annual income to $1000 a person. They felt that the rising population was holding back China's economy. Today, China's rate of population growth has slowed and its economy has soared. Did the one-child policy cause the change?

This informational material will apply a precalculus concept--the rate of change of a function--to a current issue in sociology--patterns of population change. There are links to additional information included.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [MA2019] PRE-19 (9-12) 7 :

7. Determine numerically, algebraically, and graphically the limits of functions at specific values and at infinity.

a. Apply limits of functions at specific values and at infinity in problems involving convergence and divergence.

[ELA2021] (11) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

[ELA2021] (12) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

Humans thrive and survive within a narrow range of air pressures. When air pressures are out of this range, we have more physical problems. What happens when humans go into space? How have engineers made it possible to survive when air pressure approaches zero?

This informational material will relate the precalculus concept of limits of functions using a real-world issue--engineering astronaut spacesuits. There are embedded videos within the text. 

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SC2015] ESS (9-12) 6 :

6 ) Obtain and evaluate information about Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, and Einstein to communicate how their findings challenged conventional thinking and allowed for academic advancements and space exploration.

[MA2019] PRE-19 (9-12) 7 :

7. Determine numerically, algebraically, and graphically the limits of functions at specific values and at infinity.

a. Apply limits of functions at specific values and at infinity in problems involving convergence and divergence.

[ELA2021] (11) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

[ELA2021] (12) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

Science fiction movies take it for granted that someday humans, or an alien race, will travel faster than the speed of light and build an intergalactic empire. Scientists aren't so sure that this is possible. It turns out that approaching the speed of light is very difficult. If Einstein's theories are correct, nothing that has mass can travel at the speed of light.

This informational material will apply a precalculus concept--limits of functions at infinity--to a well-known scientific theory--Einstein's theory of relativity. There is a video and links to additional information included.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (11) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

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13. Synthesize multiple sources of information (including diverse media), evaluate the credibility and accuracy of each source, and share information orally.

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24. Evaluate the credibility of sources in terms of authority, relevance, accuracy, and purpose.

a. Assess the usefulness of written information to answer a research question, solve a problem, or take a position.

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27. Synthesize research results, using responsible, ethical practices to gather information, and write clear, coherent products demonstrating command of language that is suitable for the target audience and purpose.

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29. Compose clear, coherent writing that incorporates information from a variety of scholarly and non-scholarly sources and demonstrates a clear position on a topic, answers a research question, or presents a solution to a problem.

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30. Synthesize research using responsible and ethical practices to create and orally present clear, coherent products demonstrating command of language that is suitable for the target audience and purpose.

[ELA2021] (12) 8 :

8. Read, analyze, and evaluate texts from science, social studies, and other academic disciplines and explain how those disciplines treat domain-specific vocabulary and content and organize information.

[ELA2021] (12) 13 :

13. Evaluate the credibility and accuracy of sources from diverse media and/or formats and then use multiple suitable sources of information to develop an idea or further a position.

[ELA2021] (12) 24 :

24. Evaluate the credibility of sources in terms of authority, relevance, accuracy, and purpose.

a. Assess the usefulness of written information to answer a research question, solve a problem, or take a position.

[ELA2021] (12) 27 :

27. Synthesize research results, using responsible, ethical practices to gather information, and write clear, coherent products demonstrating command of language that is suitable for the target audience and purpose.

[ELA2021] (12) 29 :

29. Compose clear, coherent writing that incorporates information from a variety of scholarly and non-scholarly sources and demonstrates a clear position on a topic, answers a research question, or presents a solution to a problem.

[ELA2021] (12) 30 :

30. Synthesize research using responsible and ethical practices to create and orally present clear, coherent products demonstrating command of language that is suitable for the target audience and purpose.

After students have studied the basics of fusion and fission as well as the splitting of the atom, groups of three choose a nuclear chemistry topic to research, finding the “what, how, where, and why” of their subject. After conducting their research, students use the free Web 2.0 tool Timetoast to construct an online timeline that features fifteen important facts with images and captions about their topic. Students then use the timelines to present their newly acquired knowledge to the class.