ALEX Classroom Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (2) 1 :

1 ) Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. [RL.2.1]

a. Infer the main idea and supporting details in narrative texts. (Alabama)

[ELA2015] (2) 9 :

9 ) By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in the Grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. [RL.2.10]

[ELA2015] (3) 10 :

10 ) Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. [RI.3.1]

[ELA2015] (3) 11 :

11 ) Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. [RI.3.2]

[ELA2015] (3) 13 :

13 ) Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a Grade 3 topic or subject area. [RI.3.4]

[ELA2015] (3) 17 :

17 ) Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison; cause and effect; first, second, third in a sequence). [RI.3.8]

[ELA2015] (3) 19 :

19 ) By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the Grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently. [RI.3.10]

[ELA2015] (4) 29 :

29 ) Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. [W.4.8]

[ELA2015] (4) 30 :

30 ) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. [W.4.9]

a. Apply Grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions]"). [W.4.9a]

b. Apply Grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text"). [W.4.9b]

[ELA2015] (5) 32 :

32 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.5.1]

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. [SL.5.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. [SL.5.1b]

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. [SL.5.1c]

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions. [SL.5.1d]

[ELA2015] (5) 41 :

41 ) Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. [L.5.4]

a. Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. [L.5.4a]

b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis). [L.5.4b]

c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. [L.5.4c]

[ELA2015] (5) 43 :

43 ) Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition). [L.5.6]

In this lesson, students create a name tag using information about themselves. Each student's name tag, while being similar, will visually represent personal information. These name tags will help the teacher learn students' names, but they will also help the students get to know each other and practice a visual, contemporary literacy when they interpret glyphs made by others.  Students learn that communication is symbolic on a very fundamental level in this lesson.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (3) 12 :

12 ) Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause and effect. [RI.3.3]

[ELA2015] (3) 17 :

17 ) Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison; cause and effect; first, second, third in a sequence). [RI.3.8]

[ELA2015] (3) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.3.2]

a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.3.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. [W.3.2b]

c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. [W.3.2c]

d. Provide a concluding statement or section. [W.3.2d]

[ELA2015] (4) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.4.2]

a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.4.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. [W.4.2b]

c. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). [W.4.2c]

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.4.2d]

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. [W.4.2e]

[ELA2015] (4) 25 :

25 ) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 22-24 above.) [W.4.4]

[ELA2015] (4) 28 :

28 ) Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. [W.4.7]

[ELA2015] (4) 30 :

30 ) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. [W.4.9]

a. Apply Grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions]"). [W.4.9a]

b. Apply Grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text"). [W.4.9b]

[ELA2015] (5) 17 :

17 ) Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s). [RI.5.8]

[ELA2015] (5) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.5.2]

a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.5.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. [W.5.2b]

c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially). [W.5.2c]

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.5.2d]

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. [W.5.2e]

[ELA2015] (5) 32 :

32 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.5.1]

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. [SL.5.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. [SL.5.1b]

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. [SL.5.1c]

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions. [SL.5.1d]

In this collaborative inquiry unit, the real gold is the inquiry skills and content area knowledge that students develop. The class works in small groups, each focusing on one aspect of the same big topic, such as the Gold Rush. After skimming related texts, the class brainstorms people, places and things associated with the topic and develops a list of five or six main subtopics. Students then work in small groups to research one of the subtopics, practicing specific research skills as they work. Finally, students choose an activity, such as an oral report, trivia game, or newspaper, to teach what they have learned to the rest of the class. Group accountability and individual responsibility are built into this lesson process.

While this unit uses the Gold Rush as an example, any event or geographical area could be substituted.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (3) 10 :

10 ) Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. [RI.3.1]

[ELA2015] (3) 11 :

11 ) Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. [RI.3.2]

[ELA2015] (3) 17 :

17 ) Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison; cause and effect; first, second, third in a sequence). [RI.3.8]

[ELA2015] (4) 10 :

10 ) Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. [RI.4.1]

[ELA2015] (4) 11 :

11 ) Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. [RI.4.2]

[ELA2015] (4) 12 :

12 ) Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. [RI.4.3]

[ELA2015] (4) 19 :

19 ) By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the Grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. [RI.4.10]

[ELA2015] (4) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.4.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.4.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.4.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.4.4c]

[ELA2015] (5) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.5.2]

a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.5.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. [W.5.2b]

c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially). [W.5.2c]

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.5.2d]

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. [W.5.2e]

[ELA2015] (5) 30 :

30 ) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. [W.5.9]

a. Apply Grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]"). [W.5.9a]

b. Apply Grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point[s]"). [W.5.9b]

[ELA2015] (5) 32 :

32 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.5.1]

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. [SL.5.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. [SL.5.1b]

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. [SL.5.1c]

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions. [SL.5.1d]

Expository texts are a key component of literacy but often do not get introduced to students until the later grades. This lesson helps third- through fifth-grade students explore the nature and structure of expository texts that focus on cause and effect. Students begin by activating prior knowledge about cause and effect; the teacher then models discovering these relationships in a text and recording in a graphic organizer what the relationships that the class finds. Students work in small groups to apply what they learned using related books and then write paragraphs outlining the cause-and-effect relationships they have found.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (2) 1 :

1 ) Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. [RL.2.1]

a. Infer the main idea and supporting details in narrative texts. (Alabama)

[ELA2015] (2) 7 :

7 ) Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot. [RL.2.7]

[ELA2015] (2) 9 :

9 ) By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in the Grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. [RL.2.10]

[ELA2015] (3) 10 :

10 ) Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. [RI.3.1]

[ELA2015] (3) 17 :

17 ) Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison; cause and effect; first, second, third in a sequence). [RI.3.8]

[ELA2015] (3) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.3.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.3.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.3.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.3.4c]

[ELA2015] (4) 24 :

24 ) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. [W.4.3]

a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator, characters, or both; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. [W.4.3a]

b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. [W.4.3b]

c. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events. [W.4.3c]

d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. [W.4.3d]

e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. [W.4.3e]

[ELA2015] (4) 26 :

26 ) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three Language standards in Grades K-4.) [W.4.5]

[ELA2015] (4) 29 :

29 ) Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. [W.4.8]

[ELA2015] (4) 31 :

31 ) Write routinely over extended time frames, including time for research, reflection, and revision, and shorter time frames such as a single sitting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. [W.4.10]

In order to fully comprehend reading materials, students need to understand the cause-and-effect relationships that appear in a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts. In this lesson, students learn cause-and-effect relationships through the sharing of a variety of Laura Joffe Numeroff picture books in a Reader's Workshop format. Using online tools or a printed template, students create an original comic strip via the writing prompt, “If you take a (third) grader to….” Students use various kinds of art to illustrate their strip and publish and present their completed piece to peers in a read-aloud format.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2015] (3) 10 :

10 ) Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. [RI.3.1]

[ELA2015] (3) 11 :

11 ) Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. [RI.3.2]

[ELA2015] (3) 17 :

17 ) Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison; cause and effect; first, second, third in a sequence). [RI.3.8]

[ELA2015] (3) 19 :

19 ) By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the Grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently. [RI.3.10]

[ELA2015] (3) 21 :

21 ) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. [RF.3.4]

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. [RF.3.4a]

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. [RF.3.4b]

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. [RF.3.4c]

[ELA2015] (3) 23 :

23 ) Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. [W.3.2]

a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.3.2a]

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. [W.3.2b]

c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. [W.3.2c]

d. Provide a concluding statement or section. [W.3.2d]

[ELA2015] (3) 25 :

25 ) With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 22-24 above.) [W.3.4]

[ELA2015] (3) 31 :

31 ) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. [SL.3.1]

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. [SL.3.1a]

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). [SL.3.1b]

c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. [SL.3.1c]

d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. [SL.3.1d]

[ELA2015] (3) 32 :

32 ) Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. [SL.3.2]

Through a teacher-modeled activity, students learn the importance of finding the words in sentences and paragraphs that contain the facts they need. Students then practice finding these fact fragments in small groups using an online activity. Next, they turn fact fragments into complete sentences written in their own words, moving from teacher modeling, to small group work, to independent practice. Finally, they arrange the sentences they have created into complete paragraphs.