ALEX Resources

Title: The Giver - Authority
Description: A unit lesson using the book The Giver by Louis Lowry that will have students be researchers and recorders in the process of finding information on Utopian societies, cults and authority. Students will complete a Powerpoint, Glogster, essay or news broadcast by the conclusion of the essay.  
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (8) 25: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. [W.8.6]

Title: Classy Sports (Basic Spreadsheet)
Description: Students will be introduced to basic spreadsheet design. Students will learn basic spreadsheet formatting. Students will use formulas to calculate totals.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 5: Use basic features of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software.

Title: Spreadsheets -- A New Study Tool
Description: Students will learn to use spreadsheets to enter if-then statements that can then be used for study guides for any subject area. Students will create a generic spreadsheet that gives feedback when they enter a correct response to a particular question. They must understand the questions they are entering in order to enter the correct formula to get the desired feedback.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 14: Use digital tools to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

Title: Congress: Requirements for Office, Members Currently Serving in the United States Congress, and Characteristics and Experiences Needed for Election to Public Office
Description: The students will research and present a computer slide-show on the requirements of office of the Senate and the House of Representatives and a special focus on the two Senators and a House member from one selected state. The students will create an election brochure in which they themselves will run for one of the above offices.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] CIV (7) 12: Describe how the United States can be improved by individual and group participation in civic and community activities.

Title: Understanding Comics
Description: Using the book Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud as the primary resource, this unit focuses on comics as a tool for communication. Students participate in activities which include journal and essay writing, a graphic organizer, and a distance learning field trip.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 12: Use digital tools to communicate and collaborate at all levels from interpersonal to global.

Title: The Camelot Times: Writing a Newspaper
Description: As part of a unit on Arthurian literature and medieval culture, students imagine they are reporters living in the realm of King Arthur and create newsletters/newspapers based on their study and research.
Standard(s):

Title: How Much Money Can I Make?
Description: This lesson is a technology-based activity in which students will research two careers they are possibly interested in pursuing. They will convert the average yearly salary of each career into an hourly wage and record their findings in a spreadsheet. They will calculate their weekly gross and net pay for each career choice.
Standard(s):
[MA2015] (7) 6: Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving the four operations with rational numbers. (Computations with rational numbers extend the rules for manipulating fractions to complex fractions.) [7-NS3]

Title: I've Got the Power: An Introduction to Powerful Presentations
Description: This lesson teaches students how to create a basic slideshow that includes inserting slides, using transitions, and adding animation to text. The lesson is taught as an "All About Me" presentation, but can be adapted throughout the year for students to present information in all subjects.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 7: Demonstrate correct keyboarding techniques.

Title: An Author Study: Christopher Paul Curtis and his novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963
Description: This five-day lesson will introduce the students to the author of the novel as the beginning of a unit. The students will conduct research to obtain biographical information about the author and read/analyze summaries and critiques of the author's writing. Finally, the students will create brochures or flyers to highlight the author as a guest at a mock author's conference.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 14: Use digital tools to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

Title: From Here to Technology
Description: Students will create a slide on an assigned topic that will become part of a class presentation. The class presentation will trace the evolution of the computer, identify the pioneers of technology, investigate the impact technology has had on the workplace and society, and examine how technology has influenced the course of history in geneeral. This project is a semester long assignment with required progress due each six weeks. Computer lab time will need to be made available either during or after school throughout the semester.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 14: Use digital tools to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

Title: Spreadsheets 101
Description: This lesson introduces students to the function and use of spreadsheets. It includes a Power Point presentation (to be used by the teacher) as well as beginning student assignments.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 13: Use digital tools to formulate solutions to authentic problems.

Title: Personal Economics
Description: Students will be able to explain the various services available to protect consumer rights. They will develop a PowerPoint presentation in their student achievement teams which contains the required information along with a question section. This presentation will then be used in class for a review activity prior to testing.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] CIV (7) 9: Apply principles of money management to the preparation of a personal budget that addresses housing, transportation, food, clothing, medical expenses, insurance, checking and savings accounts, loans, investments, credit, and comparison shopping.

Title: Comparing and Contrasting
Digital Tool: Venn Diagram
Web Address URL: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/venn-diagram/id666981188?mt=8
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 11: Use digital tools and strategies to locate, collect, organize, evaluate, and synthesize information.
Digital Tool Description: The Venn diagram app allows students to compare and contrast any topic. The diagram can then be saved to the camera roll on the iPad as well as emailed as a PDF file.

Title: Tailor Your Teaching with Today's Meet
Digital Tool: Today's Meet
Web Address URL: http://www.todaysmeet.com
Standard(s):
[TC2] (6-8) 14: Use digital tools to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
Digital Tool Description: This is a live stream chat, where students can ask questions and leave comments. Teachers can use the comments and questions to tailor their teaching on the spot to meet student needs. Students can also respond to one another, creating a live learning community. A temporary room can be set up that will automatically delete in a set time frame.