A full year of rigorous, engaging, individualized mastery method middle school Pre-Algebra curriculum!  Because of the small class size (6 students maximum), individual attention and individualized instruction is guaranteed! For this class, I am bundling what I consider the best resources to ensure students reach mastery of Pre-Algebra concepts and continued math success!   For extra practice and building concept and skill mastery, students will have FREE access to IXL math--a great tool that gives instant feedback on individual progress, and can also be used in the class "Jam" setting to provide peer and teacher support. For students needing more support, private tutoring sessions can be scheduled at 20% off my regular rate. For those wanting a fun way to practice what we're learning, discounts on my middle school math games class will also be available!

In this third 8-week session, students will learn to solve for an unknown using the additive and multiplicative inverse, as well as the associative, commutative and distributive properties and order of operations. Our geometry component will focus on triangles, including the Pythagorean Theory. These concepts and operations will be explored through visual slide presentations, interactive Nearpod and Desmos lessons, student practice, real world problem solving and fun activities and games! (Scroll down for a week-by-week content breakdown)

This session is Part 3 of a larger series titled, “Pre-Algebra Mastery Math for Grades 6-8 ”. Taken as a whole, this will offer a full year's worth of Pre-Algebra for the middle school student. 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. This course is geared towards the middle school student (most typically 7th 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 integers (positive and negative numbers), fractions, decimals, and percents, and a thorough grasp of how to apply the four basic operations to each of these.

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.

Week-by-Week content for this second 8-week session:

Week 1 (Lesson 17) : Formulas and Equations
Day 1: Convert Fahrenheit to Celcius
Day 2: Review Topic: Multiplying decimals

Week 2 (Lesson 18): Absolute Value
Day 1: Solving expressions with absolute value
Day 2: Review Topics: Dividing decimals

Week 3 (Lesson 19): Ration and Proportion
Day 1: Solving for the unknown in proportions
Day 2: Review Topics: More dividing decimals

Week 4 (Lesson 20): Geometry: Similar Polygons
Day 1: Writing proportions for similar polygons and solving for unknown side
Day 2: Review Topics: Converting decimals and fractions

Week 5 (Lesson 21): Least Common Multiple
Day 1: Find the prime factors and LCMs of numbers
Day 2: Review Topics: Percentages, fractions, decimals

Week 6 (Lesson 22): Greatest Common Factor
Day 1: Find the prime factors and GCFs of numbers
Day 2: Review topics: Percents of a number

Week 7 (Lesson 23): Adding Polynomials
Day 1: Explore polynomials with models, add polynomials
Day 2: Review topics: Word Problems

Week 8: Unit 3 Review
Day 1: Review Unit 3 topics
Day 2: Unit 3 Test and Review