ALEX Lesson Plan Resources

ALEX Lesson Plans  
Subject: Literacy Standards (6-12) (6 - 8), or Science (7)
Title: The Tasty T-Rex: How can cladograms provide evidence about the anatomical similarities and differences among modern and ancient organisms?
Description: The lesson will begin by students accessing their prior knowledge of the anatomical similarities and differences among modern and fossil organisms by creating a Venn diagram with a partner, which will compare and contrast two organisms. Next, students will complete the online modules found at "What did T. rex Taste Like?" from the University of California Museum of Paleontology, which will explain how a cladogram diagram can be used to show lines of lineage and evolutionary relationships. Students will use a cladogram to infer how a T. rex is related to modern organisms. Lastly, students will construct a written explanation to describe the anatomical similarities and differences between the T. rex and modern organisms based on evidence from the cladograms in a claim-evidence-reasoning format. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.

Subject: Literacy Standards (6-12) (6 - 8), or Science (7)
Title: The Cell Theory: An Evidence-Based Argument
Description: This lesson will require students to research the three tenets of cell theory and describe the scientific evidence that supports this theory. After students complete their research, they will engage in all steps of the writing process, including prewriting, outlining, revising, and editing. At the conclusion of the lesson, students will create a three-paragraph argumentative essay to examine the cell theory and the scientific evidence that supports this theory. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.

Subject: Literacy Standards (6-12) (6 - 8), or Science (7)
Title: Dressed for Success: How Do Specialized Plant Structures Increase the Probability of Successful Reproduction?
Description: At the beginning of the lesson, students will view an engaging video of time-lapse photographs of flowers blooming, and students will create a T-chart listing the similarities and differences among the appearances of each flower. To formatively assess students' current knowledge of specialized plant structures, the students will sort key vocabulary words related to plants' structures into categories. Then, students will read an informational article on flowering plants and re-sort the key vocabulary words into the correct categories to demonstrate their knowledge of plants' specialized reproductive structures. Next, students will complete a lab activity in which they will carefully dissect a flower and observe the various specialized structures, collect specimens to view under the microscope and create and label scientific sketches of the flower's specialized structures. Lastly, students will design a unique flower that will have a high probability of reproductive success and provide a written response in a claim-evidence-reasoning format. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.