ALEX Lesson Plan Resources

ALEX Lesson Plans  
Subject: Mathematics (2), or Science (1 - 2)
Title: What if I Had Bat Ears? A STEM Challenge
Description: After reading, What if You Had Animal Ears? by Sandra Markle, students will plan, design, and create bat-like ears from various materials for a STEM challenge. Students will test their models and redesign them to improve the effectiveness of their models to increase their own ability to hear by mimicking the external parts of a bat's ear. The students will measure and collect data from tests and compare results between the design and the redesign. This lesson can be completed in two 45 minute sessions or one 90 minute session.  This lesson plan was created in partnership with the Birmingham Zoo. 

Subject: English Language Arts (K - 2), or Science (K - 2)
Title: Amazing Animal Adaptations for K-2
Description: This is a multi-session interactive lesson plan about animal adaptations for kindergarten through second-grade students. The goal of this interactive digital lesson plan is to guide students through activities that help them understand how characteristics such as body covering, body parts, and behaviors help animals survive. These lesson plans also build cooperation and communication skills for students. There are additional resources provided for the teacher to use before or after using the HyperDoc.  This Lesson Plan was created in partnership with the Birmingham Zoo.

Subject: Science (1)
Title: Solutions from Nature, Stability
Description: This is one of three lessons that can be taught alone, or as the second part of a series, "Solutions from Nature." In this lesson, students explore the structure of plants, and the parts that provide stability. They choose from different materials to construct a house that is sturdy (like the stem) and has a foundation (like the roots). Students test the strength of their design to determine which elements/materials provide increased stability. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.  

Subject: Science (1)
Title: Solutions from Nature, Protection
Description: This is one of three lessons that can be taught alone, or as the third part of a series, "Solutions from Nature."  In this lesson, students examine outer parts of animals that provide protection (turtles, crabs, pill bugs, snails, etc.).  They choose from different materials to construct a “helmet” that can protect an egg from breaking if it is dropped.     This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.

Subject: Science (1)
Title: Solutions from Nature, Insulation
Description: This is one of three lessons that can be taught alone, or as the first part of a series, "Solutions from Nature."  In this lesson, students explore characteristics of animals that provide insulation.  They experiment with different materials to build a "glove" that can protect their hands from a cold ice bath. A YouTube link to a similar demonstration is provided below. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.