ALEX Lesson Plans

Subject: English Language Arts (10), or Technology Education (9 - 12)
Title: Creating a Perfect Society - Brochure Production
Description: This is the second part of a project based learning unit plan. In groups, the students will be analyzing themes and literary elements from the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding in order to answer the driving question- How is it possible to create a perfect society? As the students take on the role of the characters in the novel, they will need to create a survival guide, a propaganda poster to advertise their society and the map of their perfect society. This particular lesson contains lessons that lead up the creation of the brochure. You can find the other lesson of this unit on the ALEX website under the numbers 31003, 31030, and 31031.

Subject: English Language Arts (10), or Technology Education (9 - 12)
Title: A Comparison of Puritan Authors and Their Viewpoints on God and the Devil.
Description: Students in teacher-selected groups of two will create a presentation on Puritan authors using Google Docs. Student groups will compare authors Anne Bradstreet and Jonathon Edwards. Students will support their comparisons through examples from each of the author's works. Student groups will then research Puritan writers Cotton Mather and Michael Wigglesworth online. All groups will present to the class as well as posting the presentations online.

Thinkfinity Lesson Plans

Subject: Language Arts
Title: In 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on this day. Add Bookmark
Description: Students study Martin Luther King Jr.'s '' I Have a Dream'' speech and work in groups to create a mural that depicts Dr. King's vision of peace.
Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThink
Grade Span: 7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Language Arts
Title: On this day in 1935, Elvis Presley was born. Add Bookmark
Description: Students visit the National Archives to read a letter written by Elvis Presley to President Nixon. The Letter Generator is used to write a letter to a current artist suggesting a meeting with the President.
Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThink
Grade Span: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Language Arts
Title: Freedom of Speech and Automatic Language: Examining the Pledge of Allegiance Add Bookmark
Description: This lesson has students explore freedom of speech by examining the Pledge of Allegiance from a historical and personal perspective and in relationship to fictional situations in novels.
Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThink
Grade Span: 9,10,11,12

Subject: Language Arts
Title: Comic Makeovers: Examining Race, Class, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Media Add Bookmark
Description: Students explore stereotypes in the media and representations of race, class, ethnicity, and gender by analyzing comics over a two-week period and then re-envisioning them with a '' comic character makeover.''
Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThink
Grade Span: 9,10,11,12

Subject: Language Arts
Title: Jackie Robinson was born on this day in 1919. Add Bookmark
Description: Students read messages sent to the White House from Jackie Robinson and discuss his role as an athlete and a civil rights activist, as well as the role of athletes in society.
Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThink
Grade Span: 7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Language Arts
Title: Gold was discovered in California in 1848. Add Bookmark
Description: Students read letters from the Gold Rush and follow up by writing an imaginary letter to a family member about their experience using the Letter Generator.
Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThink
Grade Span: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Arts,Language Arts,Social Studies
Title: 'Hamlet'' and the Elizabethan Revenge Ethic in Text and Film Add Bookmark
Description: This lesson, from EDSITEment, contains a set of five activities for students to explore the themes of honor, loyalty, and revenge in selected scenes from Hamlet. These activities involve literary analysis of the text, discussions of characterization and motive, and comparison with a cinematic adaptation of the play.
Thinkfinity Partner: EDSITEment
Grade Span: 9,10,11,12

Subject: Language Arts - Reading - Social Studies - Geography
Title: Reading Between the Lines Add Bookmark
Description: This lesson, from Xpeditions, helps students evaluate news stories by determining their sources and recognizing biases or viewpoints. In order to become well-informed adults, it is a good idea for students to develop the habit of reading the news and keeping informed on important topics, such as geography, the environment, and world events. With the overwhelming amount of information available both in print and online, it is important that students learn to read news stories with a critical eye.
Thinkfinity Partner: National Geographic Education
Grade Span: 9,10,11,12

Subject: Language Arts
Title: The Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the Pacific Ocean in 1805. Add Bookmark
Description: Students look at Kenneth Holder's paintings of the Lewis and Clark trail and transform their notes into a descriptive paragraph as if they were a member of the expedition.
Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThink
Grade Span: 7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Language Arts
Title: Teaching Plot Structure through Short Stories Add Bookmark
Description: Students use an online graphic organizer to analyze the plot structure of '' Jack and the Beanstalk'' and three short stories.
Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThink
Grade Span: 9,10