This week we are building on that foundation. Students are learning how to write and solve simple equations using transformation steps. This requires the use of all the algebraic habits of mind that were being developed in September. Algebra is sometimes tricky in the early stages. Many students struggle with the abstractness of the subject, especially as they first begin. This week's work is one of the first big steps in that direction. If your child gets stuck on any homework, encourage them to write down the questions they are struggling with. What questions would help your child get un-stuck?
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
A Note about Pre-Algebra from Mr. Lawrence
Seventh Graders have had a big, fast start to math this year. The first several weeks were spent on a geometry unit. During this time, students developed formulas to calculate the areas of rectangles, squares, triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids. Students also developed ways to calculate volumes of prisms: boxes (rectangular prisms), traingular prisms, trapezoidal prisms, parallelogram prisms, etc. Through this study, students got used to using letters to stand for numbers that can vary (variables). They also learned a variety of algebraic habits: working backwards through a problem, using inverse operations, and generalizing their arithmetical thinking.
This week we are building on that foundation. Students are learning how to write and solve simple equations using transformation steps. This requires the use of all the algebraic habits of mind that were being developed in September. Algebra is sometimes tricky in the early stages. Many students struggle with the abstractness of the subject, especially as they first begin. This week's work is one of the first big steps in that direction. If your child gets stuck on any homework, encourage them to write down the questions they are struggling with. What questions would help your child get un-stuck?
This week we are building on that foundation. Students are learning how to write and solve simple equations using transformation steps. This requires the use of all the algebraic habits of mind that were being developed in September. Algebra is sometimes tricky in the early stages. Many students struggle with the abstractness of the subject, especially as they first begin. This week's work is one of the first big steps in that direction. If your child gets stuck on any homework, encourage them to write down the questions they are struggling with. What questions would help your child get un-stuck?
