ALEX Lesson Plan Resources

ALEX Lesson Plans  
Subject: Science (5)
Title: Modeling Energy Within the Food Chain
Description: In this lesson, students will demonstrate an understanding of the transfer of matter (energy) in various ecosystems by constructing a model food chain. In the food chain, students must show how an ecosystem provides energy from a producer to the consumers and ending with a decomposer. The students will begin by working in groups to compete with their peers by sorting food chain picture cards (producers, consumers, decomposers of an ecosystem) in the correct order. Students will be assessed at the conclusion of the lesson with a multiple choice exit ticket quiz. This unit was created as part of the ALEX Interdisciplinary Resource Development Summit.

Subject: English Language Arts (5), or Science (5)
Title: The Circle of Life
Description: During this lesson, the students will learn how matter transfers within an ecosystem and within the environment *This lesson can be taught over a two-day period.  This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.

Subject: Science (5)
Title: The Transfer of Energy in Ecosystems
Description: In this lesson, students will use technology to construct a model of a balanced ecosystem that shows how energy cycles from one organism to the next by completing research and writing short passages about their ecosystem. Students will then compare their balanced model ecosystem and describe a change or introduce an invasive species to show how the balance of their model ecosystem will change to adapt. As students are designing their model they will also describe the relationships of the components that make up an ecosystem and causes/effects of unbalanced ecosystems.  This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.