ALEX Lesson Plan Resources

ALEX Lesson Plans  
Subject: English Language Arts (6), or Science (6)
Title: Tornadoes: Cause and Effect
Description: The lesson will begin with a brief review of the previous lesson on how climates and geographic locations can affect weather patterns and produce natural disasters. Students will watch a short video during the before strategy to engage learners in the lesson on a particular natural disaster--tornadoes. Students will read various texts and charts in order to understand the causes and effects of tornadoes, putting the information in a T-chart to help organize their thoughts. Students will then discuss their findings with an elbow partner and then write a two-paragraph cause-and-effect essay which will serve as the summative assessment. This unit was created as part of the ALEX Interdisciplinary Resource Development Summit.


Subject: English Language Arts (6), or Science (6)
Title: The Distribution and Creation of Fossil Fuels: A Collaborative Jigsaw Research Project
Description: Students will begin this lesson by accessing their prior knowledge on Earth's natural resources through a brainstorming activity. The teacher will introduce the topic of fossil fuels, which are non-renewable resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas. The teacher will lead students in utilizing the jigsaw literacy strategy, in which students will become members of a home group and an expert group as they research and discuss their assigned topic. This lesson will culminate with students creating a presentation in the form of a research paper, poster, or slideshow to demonstrate their knowledge of the distribution and creation of fossil fuels. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.


Subject: English Language Arts (6), or Literacy Standards (6-12) (6 - 8), or Social Studies (6)
Title: For the Love of Ruby
Description: After viewing various videos and images, the students will deepen their understanding of the desegregation movement and its continuing influence on today's society. The students will defend their opinions using an open-mic forum and will creatively demonstrate their understanding through writing poetry.