Lesson Plans

Students will be given the task to build a dam that will stand against water. Students will design and build a scaled model of a dam and test the model for the ability to reduce the impact of a flood. Students will build a scaled model dam and test the dam’s effectiveness in preventing flood waters. Students will evaluate the efficacy of the dam they constructed and built. Students will contemplate what actions can be taken and materials that could be used in order to create a more effective dam in the future.

This unit was created as part of the ALEX Interdisciplinary Resource Development Summit.

This lesson will utilize the talking drawings strategy, in which students will begin the lesson by drawing a picture of a plant to illustrate how they think plants make their own food. Then, the teacher will introduce the process of photosynthesis using an interactive presentation to explain photosynthesis in a pictorial format. As the teacher describes the process, the students will create a scientifically accurate drawing of a plant engaging in photosynthesis. Lastly, students will create a writing piece that will describe the process of photosynthesis and construct a scientifically accurate illustration of the process of photosynthesis.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

The lesson will begin with students comparing and contrasting the physical properties of ice and water using a Venn diagram graphic organizer. Next, the students will describe the physical properties of ingredients needed for a microwave mug cake. The students will bake a chocolate microwave mug cake to demonstrate that some changes in matter caused by heating and cooling are irreversible. Lastly, the students will create a written and pictorial response comparing the water and ice to the microwave mug cake to provide evidence that some changes in matter can be reversed, while others can not.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will begin with students brainstorming methods of communication using a web graphic organizer. Next, students will collaborate with a partner to create a basic cup phone set. Then, the teacher will lead students to develop a revised cup phone set using a variety of different materials. Lastly, the students will design and construct a revised version of the cup phone and test its effectiveness as compared to the first cup phone set.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Students will design an experiment to relate the voltage difference and current in a circuit. They will collect data, then create and analyze a graph in order to arrive at Ohm's Law. They will create circuits and determine the voltage difference, current, and resistance in the circuit using Ohm's Law.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

In this lesson, students will explore and construct forest habitats of plants and animals native to Alabama. In the beginning, students will activate their prior knowledge by reviewing the definition of a habitat and discussing what they know about forests to create a KWL chart. Next, the book A Forest Habitat by Bobbie Kalman is used to further the students learning of the components that comprise a forest habitat and how those components interact with one another. The students will demonstrate their learning through animal sorts, habitat construction, and informational writing using the conventions of Standard English such as capitalization and punctuation. For the conclusion, the students will peer edit their writing using the provided writing anchor chart before presenting their learning to others.

This lesson was created as part of the ALEX Gap Project.

The lesson will begin with the teacher leading a discussion related to animal traits and the environment using a T-chart graphic organizer. The students will have the opportunity to discuss their ideas with a partner, and then the teacher will introduce the essential question of the lesson: “Can an animal's traits be influenced by the environment?” Next, the teacher will show students a video clip and nonfiction text related to the arctic fox, which is an animal that experiences a seasonal change in its fur color, and record information about the fox’s traits and habitat on a T-chart graphic organizer. Then, students will research a different animal to determine how its traits can be influenced by its environment using digital or print sources and take brief notes. Lastly, students will develop an explanatory text in a claim-evidence-reasoning format that includes an illustration to help convey their scientific ideas clearly.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will begin with students discussing ways that we can feel the sun’s energy even though the sun is very far away from Earth. Then, the teacher will introduce the three methods of heat transfer (radiation, conduction, and convection) utilizing an online video clip, and the students will take jot notes while viewing the video clip. Next, the students will perform an experiment to investigate radiation as a form of heat transfer by recording how the temperature of ice changes when exposed to an energy source (solar energy or heat energy from a clamp lamp). Then, students will perform an experiment to investigate convection as a form of heat transfer using blue dyed ice cubes and warmed red food coloring, to create a convection cycle within a container filled with room-temperature water. Lastly, students will apply the data gathered from the experiments to write a response to the question: “How is heat energy from the sun distributed between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere?”

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

In this lesson, students will explore how to increase the potential and kinetic energy of their toy cars by building ramps. Students will measure the distance the car travels and create a class line graph via the internet from the recorded data. Students will investigate potential and kinetic energy by introducing different variables such as mass, weight, and height during a ramp redesign, and measure the distance the cars travel using the variables. Students will create a presentation on Educreations to showcase their ramp redesign using their chosen variable.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will provide information that will prove the concept of sine and cosine is equal to the complementary angles of a right triangle. The lesson will examine the proper techniques for writing trigonometric ratios. The lesson will enhance background knowledge of proportions as well as use the terminology of means and extremes.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

In this lesson, students will research a variety of animals, plants, and habitats from Alabama. After researching animals, plants, and habitats from Alabama, small groups of students will be assigned a habitat to create.  After creating the habitat in small groups, the small groups of students will share their habitat with their classmates.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will begin with students reviewing the steps of the scientific method, then applying the steps of the scientific method using an online interactive game. Next, students will utilize the steps of the scientific method to explore factors that caused the population of the peppered moth to change over time. The students will conduct an experiment to gather data regarding the factors that led to a population shift in the peppered moth species. Then, students will read an article about the history of the peppered moth and play an online interactive game to further explore the factors that led to a change in this species's population. Lastly, students will develop a writing piece that includes a claim related to the change in the peppered moth's population and evidence that was gathered from the experiment, reading, and online activity.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Students will compare and contrast similarities between the eight different human blood types and be able to explain how these differences affect blood transfusions. Students will complete the online modules in The Blood Type Game and hunt for answers to a worksheet on The Red Cross website. After the lesson, students will be assessed with an online quiz on Quizziz. 

This lesson was created as part of a collaboration between Alabama Technology in Motion and ALEX.

Lesson author recommended by TIM Trainer Courtney Winn Hamilton.

In this lesson, the teacher will demonstrate how to use the Pythagorean Theorem to find distance between two points in the coordinate system. In the coordinate plane, the difference in the x- and y-values will determine the numbers to calculate the distance. This lesson will use online graphing tools as well as graph paper to plot the points. This lesson can also be used to show the relationship between the distance formula and the Pythagorean Theorem.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson is designed to develop knowledge about the angles of a triangle. This lesson will prove that the interior angles of a triangle will have a sum of 180 degrees. This lesson will prove that an exterior angle is the sum of the remote interior angles. This lesson will show the relationships of the angles of parallel lines and transversals.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will enhance mathematical vocabulary knowledge and reinforce basic skills for solving equations. Mathematical vocabulary is a vital part of this lesson. The lesson will challenge the minds of seventh-grade students with the theory of angles. The student will use the information in the diagram to write an equation and solve for the variable. Terms that will be identified in the lesson are as follows: supplementary, complementary, adjacent, parallel lines and transversal, and vertical angles.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will develop the knowledge of squared and cubed numbers. The students will know when to use the square root and cube root to solve an equation. The students will memorize perfect squares and some cube roots. The answers will be left in radical form. Finally, the students will be able to identify the radicals as rational or irrational.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will provide instruction on proving triangles to be congruent using rigid motions. Using the concept of transformations, the students will be able to manipulate the triangle on the coordinate plane. When using the coordinate plane to test congruence, the triangle or other object will slide, rotate, or flip to map onto the other object. Sometimes, the student will use a combination of the transformations. 

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Students will observe how potential and kinetic energy relate to the transfer of energy from one marble to another when they collide. Students will introduce different variables (mass and height) and investigate the transfer of potential and kinetic energy in a sled collision online simulation. Students will build a ramp, test it, and measure the distance their cars travel caused by the collision. Students will create a presentation to share their findings with the class.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project

In this lesson, students will investigate objects’ appearances in varying levels of light to help them construct an explanation that objects can only be seen when light is available to illuminate them. Students will discuss why objects look different in a dark room and graph their preferences for sleeping with a light on or off. Then, they will investigate how an object’s appearance changes in different lighting conditions in small group centers. Finally, they will model the moon’s path around the sun to see how light from the sun causes the moon’s appearance to change as it orbits Earth. At the conclusion of the lesson, students will use their experiences as evidence to explain that light is essential for sight.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Students will use a Venn diagram to compare lightning and static electricity. Then, students will experiment with static electricity and read nonfiction passages about lightning and lightning rods. Finally, they will apply their learning to construct a model of a lightning rod system that protects a house from a lightning-induced fire.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project. 

Students will explore how changes in rocks and land formations over time explain the large number of aquatic fossils that can be found across the state of Alabama. They will model volcanic eruptions and fossil formation through a hands-on activity using baking soda, vinegar, and play dough. Then they will read a news article to determine that Alabama was underwater at one time, which explains how aquatic fossils are found across the state. Finally, they will write and illustrate an explanation that shows how layers and fossils found in rock are evidence that these rocks changed over time.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Students will discuss the effects of sunlight. Next, they will be introduced to the task of designing and constructing a device to reduce the effect of sunlight. In groups, students will design and then construct a tent that will keep an ice cube from completely melting before the uncovered control ice cube melts. Students will test the effectiveness of their tents.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will provide an introduction to finding the inverse of a function or a relation. Through a combination of teacher-led instruction and collaboration, students will discover a method for finding the inverse of a function or relation. The use of an online graphing calculator will aid students with their discovery.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

In this lesson, students will investigate how light rays reflect from the surface of an object and allow us to see the object by viewing several small items inside a black bag with and without the use of a light source. Students will work collaboratively on an online simulation to control the path of light in order to illuminate objects. Students will construct a model to describe how an object can be seen when light reflected from its surface enters the eye.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Systems of Equations will be taught over a three-day period: the first day will include a lesson regarding equations that can be solved by graphing, the second day will include a lesson regarding equations that can be solved by substitution, and the third day will include a lesson regarding equations that can be solved by elimination. The students will graph two lines on the same coordinate axis and determine where the two lines cross. The teacher will be able to rock the teenage world with the website "DESMOS". Solving the equations graphically will enhance the graphing skill of the students. The lesson will explain all the ways to graph a line.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson is the second part of solving systems of linear equations. The lesson will be taught in one class period. The concept for the lesson is to solve one equation in terms of "x" or "y" and substitute the results into the other equation. Calculating the final solution to the system will take a few more steps. This lesson will describe the remaining steps as well as examples to follow. 

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Students will be exposed to an engineered solution to the current issue of excessive algae growth that is inhibiting the health of Staghorn and Elkhorn coral populations. Students will then use their knowledge, as well as conduct research, that would allow them to aid in the effort to protect this crucial living element to the oceanic environment. Students will collaborate with their group to apply their knowledge and create an Animoto presentation that consists of at least five slides.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

This lesson will include a study of several primary sources that detail the 1918 flu epidemic and how it affected a variety of people in Alabama. Students will work in small groups to study different primary sources and will complete graphic organizers specific to the type of primary source. Groups will then share their information with the class and discuss how the flu affected different populations of Alabama. The focus and outcomes of this lesson will meet the Social Studies standard (SS2010(6)) by allowing the students to describe civilian roles during WWI and to recognize the military bases in Alabama.

This lesson was created in partnership with the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

Students will be exposed to three different scenarios. The scenarios will require that students hypothesize two solutions, test their hypotheses, document the results, and document the property that proved the effectiveness of the material chosen. An example of a scenario would be, “When provided toilet paper, tissue paper and paper towels, which material would be most effective in cleaning spilled water, and what property makes it so effective?” Students will then present the data collected in a Google Slides presentation. The lesson's total duration is about six days.

This unit was created as part of the ALEX Interdisciplinary Resource Development Summit.

In this lesson, students will work in groups to design a ramp to increase the speed of a ball. The teacher will guide students' work through careful questioning. After creating different ramps, students will record and report their findings to the class.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

In this lesson, students will read and critically examine a letter from an Alabama farm owner to a U.S. Senator from Alabama regarding exemption status for the 1917 Selective Service Act on behalf of one of her workers. This primary source document will allow the students to practice evaluating a complex text. The students will answer active reading questions to participate in a "Philosophical Chairs" class debate regarding the merit of the farm owner's request. The Philosophical Chairs activity will allow the students to verbally articulate an argumentative position while specifically using textual evidence to be able to defend their position.

*Note: A bibliography of resources used can be found at the end of the "Lesson Procedures Section" of this lesson.

This lesson was created in partnership with the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

This lesson will lead students through a review of the proof of the Law of Sines. This proof will remind them that they can use the right triangle relationship for Sine to find the height of a triangle. They will then apply this knowledge to find the area of a triangle when given two sides and an included angle. Finally, they will be asked to find the area when no values are given. This result should produce the Area Formula for a triangle given two sides and the included angle.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

In this lesson, students will examine time lapse photos and videos to see the movement of stars during the night. Students will use star wheels to track the visibility of constellations throughout the year and graph the number of days a constellation is visible each month. Using data from the graphs, they will collaboratively construct a large-scale model of the sun, Earth, and constellations to better understand the role Earth’s movement and axial tilt play in the visibility of stars. Finally, students will draw a diagram and write an explanation of the apparent movement of stars using data from the graphs and class model.

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.   

This lesson will be completed in one class period. This lesson, the third in the series, will focus on another way of solving linear systems, the elimination method. When using this method, the students will multiply one or both of equations to make one of the variables equal. Afterward, the students will add the equations to eliminate the variable.  

This lesson results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.