ALEX Resources

Title: Can you form a landform?
Description: The students will create a landform using modeling clay in a small group setting.   This lesson was created as part of the 2016 NASA STEM Standards of Practice Project, a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 34: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See Grade 2 Language standards 35 and 37 for specific expectations.) [SL.2.6]

Title: The Biography Project: Exploring the Past in 21st Century Ways
Description: Through this project-based lesson, students will do research on and create an oral presentation based on the life of an influential Famous American. Students will utilize various means to glean information, from online databases, various websites, and age-appropriate biographical literature to prepare for the final product: a "Living Wax Museum." Students will determine the most relevant information to write a script presented in the form of an oral presentation. The presentations will also be recorded and published as a podcast for sharing on the teacher's website.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 2: Identify national historical figures and celebrations that exemplify fundamental democratic values, including equality, justice, and responsibility for the common good.

Title: The Second Grade Times: Students Write A Newspaper
Description: In this project-based language development lesson, English Language Learners learn about the newspaper publication and create their own newspaper that covers stories about their school year. The lesson format follows the Sheltered English Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP).
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 10: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. [RI.2.1]

Title: Once Upon A Time: Using a Fairy Tale to Teach the Elements of a Story
Description: Students will hear and read different versions of a familiar fairy tale and identify what elements a story must have (character, plot, setting) for the story to be interesting and make sense. Using a Venn diagram, students will then compare the differences and similarities between various versions of the story. Next, students in small groups will create their own versions of the story. Finally, students will also participate in a videoconference, "Fractured Fairy Tales", from the Museum of Television and Radio.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (0-2) 8: Use digital environments to exchange ideas with individuals or groups.

Title: I Am Poems
Description: Students will write and illustrate I Am poems. An I Am poem is an 18-line, three-stanza poem which students write about themselves, or a real or fictitious character. When all students have presented their poems to their classmates, the poems will be compiled in a booklet and shared with others.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 34: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See Grade 2 Language standards 35 and 37 for specific expectations.) [SL.2.6]

Title: Move Over: A Sequencing Lesson
Description: During this lesson students will learn about the sequencing of stories. Students will have the opportunity to retell stories using sequencing words they learn. They will also navigate an Internet site to reinforce the skills they learn during the lesson.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (0-2) 10: Design original works using digital tools.

Title: Luscious Layers of Life...A Walk Through the Rainforest
Description: This lesson provides students with an opportunity to learn about the animals and plant life that live in the various layers of the tropical rainforest. Students will view a slideshow with many different facts and pictures of the rainforest. They will also research animals and plants of the rainforest by searching Internet sites. Students will also share what they learn through an typed report.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (0-2) 10: Design original works using digital tools.

Title: Email Pals
Description: The students will participate in an Internet pen pals exchange. They will exchange email with students in other parts of the United States or in other countries. They will learn about the culture and climate in other states and countries through participating in this activity.
Standard(s):
[TC2] (0-2) 3: Demonstrate correct posture and finger placement while using a technology system.

Title: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
Description: Students will read and discuss the story, Ira Sleeps Over, by Bernard Waber and write a persuasive paragraph about the story, using a Think-sheet to guide the writing.
Standard(s):

Title: President's Day for Special Education/Early Elementary
Description: This lesson helps special education/early elementary students learn about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and discuss how each demonstrated the character trait of honesty.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 2: Identify national historical figures and celebrations that exemplify fundamental democratic values, including equality, justice, and responsibility for the common good.

Title: Going on a Shape Hunt: Integrating Math and Literacy
Description: Students participate in a scavenger hunt for shapes; reading, writing, and discussion of shapes encourage literacy and math skills.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 34: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See Grade 2 Language standards 35 and 37 for specific expectations.) [SL.2.6]

Title: It's Okay to Be Different: Teaching Diversity With Todd Parr
Description: All kinds of characters will enjoy this lesson that celebrates diversity by discussing what makes everyone unique and special.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 40: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids are happy that makes me happy). [L.2.6]

Title: Rain, Ice, Steam: Using Reading to Support Inquiry About the Water Cycle
Description: Water is always moving in a continuous cycle from liquid to solid to gas and back again. Students study this never-ending cycle through shared readings, center activities, and experiments.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 38: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies. [L.2.4]

Title: Guess What's in the Bag: A Language-based Activity
Description: Students play a guessing game to practice using descriptive language.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 34: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See Grade 2 Language standards 35 and 37 for specific expectations.) [SL.2.6]

Title: Two Thumbs Up! Get Students Writing and Publishing Book Reviews
Description: Students evaluate book reviews written by other children, discussing their components and effectiveness, and write reviews of favorite books to record on video or post online.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 34: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See Grade 2 Language standards 35 and 37 for specific expectations.) [SL.2.6]

Title: Taking Photos of Curious George: Exploring Character Through Images
Description: Students will be monkeying around in this lesson when they create a digital class book in which they imagine what Curious George would do if he visited their school.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 34: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See Grade 2 Language standards 35 and 37 for specific expectations.) [SL.2.6]

Title: Abbreviations:  Months of the Year and Days of the Week
Overview: This podcast contains a video of students abbreviating the month January.  Examples are shown on how to abbreviate months of the year and days of the week.  Students focused on abbreviations having capital letters and ending with a period.  Students also define abbreviations as shorter forms of the words.
Standard(s):
[ELA2015] (2) 36: Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L.2.2]

Title: Tell a Migration Story...With Interviews
Description: In this Xpeditions student activity, students become reporters for the local newspaper and conduct interviews with someone who has migrated to their community. After they finish their interviews, students share what they have learned about their interviewees experiences, memories, and feelings about coming to live in their new community.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] HGEO (9-12) 2: Identify world migration patterns caused by displacement issues.