ALEX Resources

Title: Take Pride in America--Auntie Litter Needs You! 
Description: In this lesson from "The Friends of Auntie Litter", (www.auntielitter.org)in celebration of Earth Day, the meaning of Earth Day will be explored. Students will also learn the words to a song honoring our planet.  This lesson is one from the “Take Pride Statewide” series. *Lesson provided by Julie Danley and Pam Walston.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 9: Differentiate between natural resources and human-made products.

Title: African American Honorees in Alabama History
Description: Students will create a PowerPoint slide show presentation and brochure on a famous African American icon from the Alabama Calendar. Students may select famous African Americans from Alabama such as Rosa Parks, Vonetta Flowers, Dr. Mae Jemison, Joe Louis, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, Rosa Parks, Hank Aaron, Dr. Regina Benjamin, Dr. Ethel Hall, Judge Oscar Adams, Billie Jean Young, George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington, or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This lesson was created to accompany the Alabama African American History Calendar Project.
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: Become a Thanksgiving Historian
Description: Students may be surprised to find out that some ideas they have about the history of Thanksgiving are actually myths. In this lesson students become a true "Thanksgiving historian" by completing a Venn diagram about the Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims with information acquired through Internet searches.
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: Classroom Feud
Description: As part of a unit about the state of Alabama, students spend time collecting information about the state, which they in turn report to a classroom in another state using distance learning equipment. Then the two classroms in different states "battle it out" in a game show about the two states written by the teachers.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 5: Identify historical events and celebrations within the local community and throughout Alabama. (Alabama)

Title: Martin Luther King, Jr. for Early Elementary
Description: This lesson is an adaptation of a lesson in Character Education Made Easy. It helps early elementary students (especially kindergartners) learn about the influence of Martin Luther King, Jr., why he is remembered, and the problems he worked to change.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 5: Identify historical events and celebrations within the local community and throughout Alabama. (Alabama)

Title: What's Your Favorite Place?
Description: In this lesson, from Xpeditions, students are asked to think of their favorite place or a place they find particularly interesting. They draw pictures of that place and share information about it with a partner. They conclude by designing monuments that showcase their favorite place.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Read Martin's Big Words
Description: Martin's Big Words is an illustrated biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Included in an OurStory module entitled "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence'' , this activity includes strategies that will help adults and children actively read "Martin's Big Words'' together. OurStory is a series of modules designed by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of children's literature, everyday objects, and hands-on activities.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 14: Analyze the modern Civil Rights Movement to determine the social, political, and economic impact on Alabama.

Title: Eyewitness to History
Description: Families connect us to our own history and to the history of the world around us. In this lesson from EDSITEment, students explore this second set of connections, talking with family members about landmark events they have witnessed in their lifetimes to learn how history touches our lives.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 6: Compare ways individuals and groups in the local community and state lived in the past to how they live today. (Alabama)

Title: What Is History? Timelines and Oral Histories
Description: This lesson, from EDSITEment, aims to help students understand history and recognize that the past is different depending on who is remembering and retelling it. There are four activities, in which students construct a timeline based on events from their own lives and family histories, construct a class timeline through comparison with each other's histories, research oral history by interviewing family members, and study primary sources to write their own history of the Great Chicago Fire.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 9: Describe how and why people from various cultures immigrate to the United States.

Title: Dr. King's Dream
Description: In this lesson from EDSITEment, students learn about the life and work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Students listen to a brief biography, view photographs of the March on Washington, hear a portion of King's '' I Have a Dream'' speech, and discuss what King's words mean to them. Finally, they create picture books about their own dreams of freedom for Americans today.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Musical Harlem
Description: Students will learn to identify musical styles and musicians associated with Harlem, focusing on jazz.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Oh, Say Can You Seeand
Description: Students will learn about the history behind the writing of ''The Star-Spangled Banner.''
Standard(s):
[SS2010] USS5 (5) 10: Describe political, social, and economic events between 1803 and 1860 that led to the expansion of the territory of the United States, including the War of 1812, the Indian Removal Act, the Texas-Mexican War, the Mexican-American War, and the Gold Rush of 1849.

Title: The Arctic and Antarctic Circles
Description: In this student activity from Xpeditions, students research the ends of the Earth--the Poles--to compare and contrast the regions. Background information is provided, giving insight into the nature of these two areas and outlining their differences and similarities.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] GHS (3) 1: Locate the prime meridian, equator, Tropic of Capricorn, Tropic of Cancer, International Date Line, and lines of latitude and longitude on maps and globes.

Title: What Is a Civil Right?
Description: Let's honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by taking a closer look at civil rights!
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 14: Analyze the modern Civil Rights Movement to determine the social, political, and economic impact on Alabama.

Title: What Is a Biography?
Description: A biography is a published story about a person's life. If you head to the bookshelves at your local library, you will find biographies about all sorts of people: historical figures, celebrities, athletes and world leaders. You may even discover that these books introduce you to some folks you've never heard of.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 5: Identify historical events and celebrations within the local community and throughout Alabama. (Alabama)

Title: Who Is Punxsutawney Phil?
Description: When most people are curious about the weather, they turn on the television, pick up a newspaper or go online for the forecast. On February 2, though, Americans around the country ask Phil., Who is Phil? Why, he's the four-footed furriest forecaster in North America, of course! Join us in Wonderopolis today as we head to Pennsylvania to meet Punxsutawney Phil.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: What Is Curling?
Description: What do you get when you mix shuffleboard with bowling on an ice rink? Curling, of course! Grab a broom and join us in Wonderopolis as we explore a sport that's as cool as ice and as hard as a rock!
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 6: Compare ways individuals and groups in the local community and state lived in the past to how they live today. (Alabama)

Title: Eli Whitney's Cotton Gin Model
Description: In 1794, Eli Whitney patented a new kind of cotton gin. His invention, using rotating brushes and teeth to remove the seeds from cotton, was quickly pirated by others. Southern plantation owners depended on slaves for labor-intensive crops such as rice, sugar, tobacco, and especially cotton. As the market demand for cotton increased in the early 1800s, the Southern cotton industry expanded dramatically, as did the system of slave labor it relied on.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] US10 (10) 9: Explain dynamics of economic nationalism during the Era of Good Feelings, including transportation systems, Henry Clay's American System, slavery and the emergence of the plantation system, and the beginning of industrialism in the Northeast. [A.1.a., A.1.c., A.1.e., A.1.f., A.1.g., A.1.i., A.1.j.]

Title: Students Sit for Civil Rights Homepage
Description: Students Sit for Civil Rights is an OurStory module that includes activities based on reading Freedom on the Menu, a work of children's literature about the Greensboro sit-ins that played an important role during the civil rights movement. OurStory is a series of modules designed by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom. National Museum of American History
Standard(s):
[SS2010] USS5 (5) 12: Summarize successes and failures of the Reconstruction Era.

Title: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence
Description: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of America's celebrated heroes for his use of nonviolent protest strategies during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. By using this OurStory module from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, children and adults can enjoy exploring history together through children's literature, everyday objects, and hands-on activities. Focused around "Martin's Big Words'' , an illustrated biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the module includes links to hands-on activities and a list of recommended readings for further exploration.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 15: Identify major world events that influenced Alabama since 1950, including the Korean Conflict, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, and the War on Terrorism.

Title: Full Steam to Freedom
Description: Robert Smalls was born a slave in South Carolina, but made a daring escape to freedom on the ship CSS Planter and joined the Union in fighting to end slavery in America. By using this OurStory module, children and adults can enjoy exploring one aspect of the Civil War. Focused on actively reading Seven Miles to Freedom , an illustrated biography of Robert Smalls, this module also includes links to a related outdoor game, classroom-based newspaper investigation and online exploration.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] USS5 (5) 11: Identify causes of the Civil War, including states' rights and the issue of slavery.

Title: Great Websites for Kids
Description: Created by the American Library Association, this portal website helps parents and children find age appropriate educational materials on the Internet.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] WH8 (8) 16: Describe major cultural changes in Western Europe in the High Middle Ages (1000-1300 A.D.).

Title: Make Your Own Buffalo Hide Painting
Description: In this activity, students will learn about the culture of the Native American people of the Great Plains as they create their own buffalo hide paintings using a printable buffalo hide outline. Inspired by the Indians of the Great Plains, they will draw pictures of things that represent important events in their lives and their family's history, or draw a hide with a geometric design. The choice is up to them! This activity is included in the interactive website Tracking the Buffalo: Stories From a Buffalo Hide Painting .
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Tracking the Buffalo: Stories From a Buffalo Hide Painting Homepage
Description: In this interactive website, students explore the role buffaloes played in the lives of Native Americans of the northern Plains. The website includes: online interactives, printable activities and a map of the Plain Indians, information about the art of buffalo hide paintings, a teacher's guide and student worksheets, and a bibliography of related books and online resources appropriate for all ages.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Vamos a Celebrar!
Description: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage through the Arts
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 11: Identify traditions and contributions of various cultures in the local community and state. (Alabama)

Title: SmithsonianJazz.org
Description: Explore jazz through listening activities, interviews with musicians, and background information on SmithsonianJazz.org. Prominently featured on this site are two suites of learning activities: one focusing on Duke Ellington for elementary students and one focusing on Louis Armstrong for middle and high school students. Students can also hone their skills at analyzing oral histories with a collection of over fifty recordings of jazz composers, arrangers, and performers.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] US11 (11) 6: Describe social and economic conditions from the 1920s through the Great Depression regarding factors leading to a deepening crisis, including the collapse of the farming economy and the stock market crash of 1929. [A.1.a., A.1.b., A.1.d., A.1.f., A.1.i., A.1.j., A.1.k.]

Title: Word Art with King's Words
Description: Examine one or more of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s letters or speeches and turn powerful words and phrases into word art using the online Wordle tool. Included in an OurStory module from Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence'' , this activity is designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of children's literature, everyday objects, and hands-on activities.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 14: Analyze the modern Civil Rights Movement to determine the social, political, and economic impact on Alabama.

Title: Visit Your Government
Description: Find out about your local government through planning a short field trip, and then think about how you could make a difference in your community. The activity guide also includes tips for reviewing the experience once you're back at home or in the classroom. Included in an OurStory module from Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence'' , this activity is designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of children's literature, everyday objects, and hands-on activities.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 14: Analyze the modern Civil Rights Movement to determine the social, political, and economic impact on Alabama.

Title: Reading Follow the Drinking Gourd
Description: In this activity, students will increase their knowledge of slavery, slave life and the Underground Railroad by answering questions about the book and song Follow the Drinking Gourd and then writing and illustrating a poem or letter playing the role of a conductor, agent or passenger on the Underground Railroad. It is included in an OurStory module entitled Slave Life and the Underground Railroad . OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] USS5 (5) 11: Identify causes of the Civil War, including states' rights and the issue of slavery.

Title: Document Detective
Description: Historians gather information about the past by looking at primary sources. In this activity, students will practice using primary sources by to learn about slavery and the Underground Railroad by analyzing newspaper advertisements regarding runaway slaves from the Charleston Mercury. It is included in an OurStory module entitled Slave Life and the Underground Railroad . OurStory is a series of modules designed by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 6: Describe cultural, economic, and political aspects of the lifestyles of early nineteenth-century farmers, plantation owners, slaves, and townspeople.

Title: Dress for the Ponce Carnival
Description: A vejigante is a person who dresses in costume to help celebrate Carnival in Ponce, Puerto Rico. In this activity, students will read about being a vejigante and then design their own Carnival costume. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources will allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Make Your Own Carnival Mask
Description: In this activity, students will create their own paper mache Carnival masks as a way to learn about Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture. This resource is part of an OurStory module entitled A Puerto Rican Carnival. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources will allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Leaving Things Behind
Description: What would you take if you were suddenly forced to move? In this activity, students will make this decision after reading and responding to a quote by a woman who was forced to move to a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. It is included in an OurStory module entitled Life in a WWII Japanese American Internment Camp. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Make your Own Fish Kite
Description: In this activity, students will learn how to make their own fish kites, called koinobori. Koinobori are an important expression of Japanese culture that became an important part of life for children in Japanese American internment camps during World War II. This resource is included in an OurStory module entitled Life in a WWII Japanese American Internment Camp. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.
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: Remembering King
Description: Think of three symbols to represent Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and create a window decoration with those symbols. Included in an OurStory module from Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence'' , this activity is designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of children's literature, everyday objects, and hands-on activities.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 14: Analyze the modern Civil Rights Movement to determine the social, political, and economic impact on Alabama.

Title: Protest Signs
Description: Protest signs are a powerful and important way for people to express their feelings. In this activity children will compare 2 protest signs from the civil rights movement and then create their own expressive chalk art or poster. It is included in an OurStory module entitled Students Sit for Civil Rights. OurStory is a series of modules designed by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources allow children to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom. National Museum of American History
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 14: Analyze the modern Civil Rights Movement to determine the social, political, and economic impact on Alabama.

Title: Freedom Songs
Description: Songs played an important role during the civil rights movement. In this activity, students will listen to freedom songs and then make their own version of one of the songs. It is included in an OurStory module from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled Students Sit for Civil Rights. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources allow children to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom. National Museum of American History
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 10: Analyze social and educational changes during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries for their impact on Alabama.

Title: Women's Role in the Civil War
Description: Women served in the Civil War as nurses, spies, and vivandieres. Explore these stories with students through a video clip and close examination of two dresses and a woman's uniform. This lesson plan (which includes background formation, guided analysis questions, and full-color primary sources) was produced to accompany the exhibition "The Price of Freedom: Americans at War,'' by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. National Museum of American History
Standard(s):
[SS2010] USS5 (5) 11: Identify causes of the Civil War, including states' rights and the issue of slavery.

Title: The Underground Railroad Route
Description: Activity. Students will identify slave states and free states during the time of the Underground Railroad, explore the challenges of escaping, and choose the route they would have taken.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: What Is a Civil Right?
Description: Let's honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by taking a closer look at civil rights!
Standard(s):
[SS2010] ALA (4) 14: Analyze the modern Civil Rights Movement to determine the social, political, and economic impact on Alabama.

Title: How Slaves Found Their Way North
Description: Activity. Students learn about natural and human-made clues that helped slaves find their way north through the Underground Railroad. Then they create a quilt with clues about routes to freedom.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Introduction to the Underground Railroad
Description: Activity. Students learn about the Underground Railroad and why slaves used it.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 11: Identify traditions and contributions of various cultures in the local community and state. (Alabama)

Title: The Culture of Puerto Rico: Become a Collector
Description: Becoming a collector is easy and fun! By following this guide, from the "OurStory'' series produced by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, students will learn how to start their own collection after reading about Teodor Vidal, a man who collected objects from Puerto Rico. "OurStory'' is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, "OurStory'' resources will allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: Slave Life and the Underground Railroad: Read "Follow the Drinking Gourd''
Description: In this activity, students will increase their knowledge of slavery, slave life and the Underground Railroad by answering questions about the book and song "Follow the Drinking Gourd'' and then write and illustrate a poem of letter playing the role of a conductor, agent or passenger of the Underground Railroad. It is included in an "OurStory'' module entitled Slave Life and the Underground Railroad.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: What Is a Biography?
Description: A biography is a published story about a person's life. If you head to the bookshelves at your local library, you will find biographies about all sorts of people: historical figures, celebrities, athletes and world leaders. You may even discover that these books introduce you to some folks you've never heard of.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 5: Identify historical events and celebrations within the local community and throughout Alabama. (Alabama)

Title: Who Is Punxsutawney Phil?
Description: When most people are curious about the weather, they turn on the television, pick up a newspaper or go online for the forecast. On February 2, though, Americans around the country ask Phil., Who is Phil? Why, he's the four-footed furriest forecaster in North America, of course! Join us in Wonderopolis today as we head to Pennsylvania to meet Punxsutawney Phil.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11: Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Title: What Is Curling?
Description: What do you get when you mix shuffleboard with bowling on an ice rink? Curling, of course! Grab a broom and join us in Wonderopolis as we explore a sport that's as cool as ice and as hard as a rock!
Standard(s):
[SS2010] LWT1 (1) 6: Compare ways individuals and groups in the local community and state lived in the past to how they live today. (Alabama)

Title: The Arctic and Antarctic Circles
Description: In this student activity from Xpeditions, students research the ends of the Earth--the Poles--to compare and contrast the regions. Background information is provided, giving insight into the nature of these two areas and outlining their differences and similarities.
Standard(s):
[SS2010] GHS (3) 1: Locate the prime meridian, equator, Tropic of Capricorn, Tropic of Cancer, International Date Line, and lines of latitude and longitude on maps and globes.