Pre-Algebra
Course Overview
Course Overview
Course Goals and Content:
The Pre-Algebra curriculum develops three capacities in the student.
A. It promotes enhanced proficiency with standard mathematical principles and practices involving fractions, decimals, mixed numbers, the distributive property, and order of operations.
B. It brings factoring, divisibility testing, least common denominators (LCD), greatest common factors (GCF), ratios and rates – concepts that are essential to the study of Algebra.
C. It introduces ‘the variable’ (the foundational concept of Algebra), variable expressions, and equations. Students learn to solve single-variable equations and word problems. The principles of exponents and roots are presented and practiced, as are perimeter, area, and volume.
Typical Sequence of Topics:
Typical Class Session:
Review: Homework is assigned at the end of each class session. At the start of the following session the teacher provides a short review and then offers to work through problems the students may not have been able to solve. Homework is collected.
New Instruction: New content is presented with discussion, questions, and whiteboard examples. Students participate in solving additional problems at their desks.
Quiz: A very short quiz provides a quick assessment of the student’s grasp of the new material.
Homework: Homework on the new material is assigned. Students are given a few minutes to begin the assignment.
Pre-requisites:
It is assumed that students have sound computational skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division); understand place value, and have a working knowledge of fractions and decimals.
Grading:
20% for classroom participation, 20% for homework completion, and 60% for quizzes.
Textbook:
Pre-Algebra by Larson, Boswell, Kanold and Stiff published by McDougal Littell; ISBN: 0618250034, Copyright 2005. Used copies can be obtained online, and should be obtained using this ISBN.
The Pre-Algebra curriculum develops three capacities in the student.
A. It promotes enhanced proficiency with standard mathematical principles and practices involving fractions, decimals, mixed numbers, the distributive property, and order of operations.
B. It brings factoring, divisibility testing, least common denominators (LCD), greatest common factors (GCF), ratios and rates – concepts that are essential to the study of Algebra.
C. It introduces ‘the variable’ (the foundational concept of Algebra), variable expressions, and equations. Students learn to solve single-variable equations and word problems. The principles of exponents and roots are presented and practiced, as are perimeter, area, and volume.
Typical Sequence of Topics:
- Variables and variable expressions
- Powers and exponents
- Comparing and ordering integers
- Adding and subtracting signed numbers
- Multiplying and dividing signed numbers
- Properties and operations
- Distributive property
- Simplifying variable expressions
- Variables and equations
- Solving equations using addition or subtraction
- Solving equations using multiplication or division
- Decimal operations and equations with decimals
- Solving two-step equations
- Solving equations with variables on both sides
- Factors and prime factorization
- Greatest common factor, equivalent fractions, least common multiple
- Rational numbers
- Adding and subtracting like fractions
- Adding and subtracting unlike fractions
- Multiplying fractions
- Working with square roots
- Simplifying square roots
- Rounding
- Percents
Typical Class Session:
Review: Homework is assigned at the end of each class session. At the start of the following session the teacher provides a short review and then offers to work through problems the students may not have been able to solve. Homework is collected.
New Instruction: New content is presented with discussion, questions, and whiteboard examples. Students participate in solving additional problems at their desks.
Quiz: A very short quiz provides a quick assessment of the student’s grasp of the new material.
Homework: Homework on the new material is assigned. Students are given a few minutes to begin the assignment.
Pre-requisites:
It is assumed that students have sound computational skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division); understand place value, and have a working knowledge of fractions and decimals.
Grading:
20% for classroom participation, 20% for homework completion, and 60% for quizzes.
Textbook:
Pre-Algebra by Larson, Boswell, Kanold and Stiff published by McDougal Littell; ISBN: 0618250034, Copyright 2005. Used copies can be obtained online, and should be obtained using this ISBN.