Algebra 1 FLEX: 1st Trimester of Full Year Mastery Method Math (12 weeks)

*Full curriculum Algebra 1 flexible schedule class (interactive video lessons, activities, exercises, games & weekly tests)
**NO LIVE meetings (although private tutoring sessions can be scheduled)
Great option for just getting started with Algebra 1, or to use as a review of order of operations, working with integers (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing positive and negative numbers), prime factorization, GCF and LCM, decimal and fraction review, and solving for the unknown. Students will gain a deep understanding of linear functions, graphing lines, using the slope-intercept formula to graph lines given 2 points or 1 point and the slope, and graphing parallel and perpendicular lines. Students will also review other key concepts including expressing word problems in algebraic terms, finding fractions and percents of numbers, and working with radicals (finding square roots).  I designed this course to provide a full-year math curriculum for homeschoolers, but it is also a great option for 8th, 9th or 10th graders attending traditional school who need a little extra support in Algebra 1. Additionally, if you are new to homeschooling, it's a great way to make sure you've got math solidly covered (I've found math to be the trickiest subject to try to teach your own child!!) without a fixed time commitment or heavy financial burden!

A full year of rigorous, individualized mastery method middle school Algebra curriculum without the stress or fixed time commitment of trying to schedule live meetings! This is the first of 3 sessions of a FLEXIBLE SCHEDULED year-long Algebra mastery method math course. There are NO live meetings for this class. Pre-recorded videos, interactive google slide presentations and links to Nearpod lessons, Desmos activities and review games will all be posted in the Outschool Classroom, along with weekly homework assignments from the workbook, graded lesson quizzes and special interactive assignments such as math scavenger hunts or emoji puzzles. I will respond individually to each student with explanations and corrections to homework and quizzes that are turned in. Because of the small class size (8 students maximum), individual attention and individualized instruction is guaranteed!  This is a self paced class with each week's learning materials posted in the classroom at the beginning of the week.

In this first trimester (12 week session), students will gain a deep understanding of the associative, commutative, and distributive properties, as well as absolute value, the order of operations, and graphing with number lines and Cartesian coordinates. Students will learn to apply these concepts to help solve algebraic equations (solving for an unknown, beginning with a single variable) through visual slide presentations, interactive Nearpod lessons, student practice, real world problem solving and fun activities and games! Students will also review other key concepts including working with negative numbers, using prime factorization to find the GCF and LCM, multiplying and dividing fractions and decimals, and converting between decimals, fractions and percents. 

We will utilize the Outschool Classroom to facilitate interaction and discussion. I will do this by posting critical thinking and math strategy questions, and expecting students to respond to both my questions and each others' responses. In addition to posting completed homework and quizzes, learners will be asked to post a response to the weekly special assignment (scavenger hunts, puzzles, activities or games). This class is the equivalent of a class that meets three times per week, and I recommend that learners split their weekly math workload into at least 2-3 sessions, but learners are free to create their own weekly schedules for completing the work.

This session is Part 1 of a larger series titled, “Algebra 1: Full Year of Mastery Method Math”. Taken as a whole, this will offer a full year's worth of Algebra I  for the middle school student on an advanced math path; or for older students on a more traditional path or needing extra support and review. This is a Mastery approach to math--each concept will be demonstrated, explained and practiced in a meaningful, in-depth way to achieve full understanding before moving on and connecting to the next topic. This approach is ideal both for students who love math and want to take a deep dive into each concept, as well as anxious math learners who get easily overwhelmed by jumping quickly between concepts and prefer to take their time to fully learn and understand each concept. In both cases, the mastery method can build confidence, create a positive math identity and set students on a trajectory of math success. Because of the small size of this class,  I will be able to give each student the individual attention needed to ensure mastery. Additionally, because this is a FLEX class, students can complete work at their own pace without the stress of comparing themselves to other students. Typically Algebra 1 is taken between 8th and 10th grade, but because the mastery method builds on previously internalized concepts and skills, specific age or assigned grade level is not as important as the prerequisite foundations of mathematical understanding. 

**Specifically for this class, students should come with a solid number sense for whole numbers (negative and positive), fractions, decimals, and percents, and a thorough grasp of how to apply the four basic operations to each of these, as well as pre-algebra skills such as simple solving for an unknown problems.

I want my students to feel fully engaged in the learning process--to find meaning, confidence (and yes, even joy!) in mathematical problem solving. To make math fun and engaging, I will be presenting lessons through interactive slides, which will include clear visual representations, virtual manipulatives, and connections to math in the real world. Additionally, I will be using applications such as Nearpod (nearpod.com) and Desmos (desmos.com) to create further opportunities for students to engage with the material and with one another. Activities will include collaborative idea boards, typed or drawn responses, polls, matching games, quizzes, graphing activities, and  embedded games. These activities provide not only engagement and fun for students, but also give me as the teacher the opportunity for ongoing, informal assessment.

At the beginning of each week, I will post the following week's work. This will include:

1. A link to that week's student-paced Nearpod lesson, which will include 1 or 2 teacher-created, interactive video lessons introducing the week’s math concept through concrete models and real world examples and connections.  
2. Also embedded in the Nearpod will be various activities, exercises and games to help practice the week's concepts & skills.  
3. Links to activities and assignments on Jamboard and/or Desmos
4. Assigned homework pages in the workbook
5. Special assignments (such as math scavenger hunts, emoji puzzles or honors challenge pages) will be assigned
6. Links to fun, individualized practice games such as Blooket games
7. A lesson test on Google Forms
(some weeks this will be split into 2 separate posts, while other weeks it will be posted together in one)

Students will be expected to:

1. Watch the entire video lesson of the google slide presentation introducing the week’s concept
2. Complete the interactive Nearpod activity (no subscription needed)
3. Complete the assigned homework pages from the workbook
4. Ask questions via the classroom (written or video) if he or she doesn’t understand something from the video or Nearpod lessons
5. Post either a written, photo, or video response to the Week’s Special Math assignment
6. Choose 1 problem from the homework each week to teach/explain to other students. This can be through video and/or presentation slides, or with a detailed, step-by-step written explanation.
7. Complete the lesson test

Week-by-Week content for the first trimester (12 weeks):
Week 1 (Lesson 1): Introduction, Commutative and Associative Properties
       Review:  Negative numbers and multiplying/dividing fractions
      *Special Assignment: Algebra as Emoji Puzzles
Week 2 (Lesson 2): Order of Operations and Absolute Value
       Review: multiplying and dividing decimals
      *Special Assignments: Emoji math, Blooket Cafe Game 
Week 3 (Lesson 3):  Solve for Unknown with One Variable
      Review: Combining like terms to simplify, solve and check; Using LCM to simplify equations with fractions and decimals
      *Special Assignments: Desmos Balancing Equations
Week 4 (Lesson 4): Distributive Property
     Review: converting between fractions, decimals and percentages 
     *Special Assignments: Blooket Tower Defense Game
Week 5 (Lesson 5):  Number Lines and Cartesian Coordinates
     Review: converting fractions to decimals using long division 
    *Special Assignments: Desmos Write Your Name and Game Over Gopher Game
Week 6 (Lesson 6): Introduction to Graphing a Line (real world situations and Desmos activities)
      Review: expressing word problems algebraically
      *Special Assignments: Desmos Bake Sale Activity
Week 7 (Lesson 7): Slope-Intercept Formula: What is slope and how do we find it? (positive and negative slope using 
      mountain climbing/skiing as examples); Finding y-intercept
     *Special Assignments: Desmos Bake Sale Activity
Week 8 (Lesson 8): Graphing a line from the slope-intercept formula (using Desmos)
     *Special Assignments: Make up your on linear function story problem and graph it
Week 9 (Lesson 9): Graphing Parallel Lines and the Standard equation of a line
      Review: find percents of a number 
      *Special Assignments: Desmos Marble Activity
Week 10 (Lesson 10): Graphing Perpendicular Lines
     Review: finding square roots
     *Special Assignments: Blooket Cafe Game
Week 11 (Lesson 11):  Finding the Slope-Intercept Formula (Graphing a line given 2 points or given slope and 1 point)
      Review: Ratios as fractions and percentages
      *Special Assignments: 
Week 12: Catch-up and Unit 1 Review and Test