*Perfect for homeschooled students wanting a full curriculum Pre-Algebra course or students needing review or extra help on specific topics (Students can join class starting any week!)
**FREE access to IXL math included in weekly price for as long as student is enrolled (IXL is the world's most popular subscription-based learning site for K–12 and offers unlimited math practice problems with meaningful, up-to-date tracking on your child's progress.)
***For students wanting the full year, full curriculum experience, please contact me about the recommended homework workbook, as well as discounts on my accompanying FLEX course!

This class is a great option for those just getting started with Pre-Algebra, or to use as a review of key topics to prepare for Algebra 1 including: understanding and working with integers; solving for an unknown using additive and multiplicative inverse; order of operations; associative, commutative, and distributive properties; least common multiple and greatest common factor; ratios and proportions, adding and multiplying polynomials, rational vs. irrational numbers; as well as some Geometry topics including angles, triangles, surface area and volume.  (Please see full list of topics and dates below).  The ongoing format of this class means that each week's topic and material can stand alone, so that students may join the class anytime throughout the year. I designed this course to provide a full-year Pre-Algebra math curriculum for homeschoolers, but it is also a great option for 7th, 8th, or 9th graders attending traditional school who need a little extra support in math. 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 big commitment in terms of time or money!

Taken as a whole, this course will offer a full year's worth of Pre-Algebra for the middle school student. Each concept will be demonstrated, explained and practiced in a meaningful, in-depth, and engaging way to achieve full understanding.  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, my approach 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 but 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, 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.  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.  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 Pre-Algebra Math course:

Week 1 (September 5th & 7th): Negative Numbers/ Integers/Absolute Value
Day 1: Concept of negative numbers (using number lines, money--owing vs. having, and temperature); Adding and subtracting Integers 
Day 2: Practice adding and subtracting Integers

Week 2  (September 12th & 14th): More Work with Integers
Day 1: Multiplying and Dividing with Integers 
Day 2: Exponents with Integers

Week 3 (September 19th & 21st): Number Theory 1 ( Prime/Composite and Prime Factorization)
Day 1: What are prime numbers?  Using Divisibility Rules to determine factors
Day 2: Prime Factorization (Factor tree/roots method)

Week 4 (September 26th and 28th): Exponents, Roots and Radicals
Day 1: Understanding and Evaluating Exponents and variable exponents
Day 2: Finding and Estimating Square Roots

Week 5 (October 3rd and 5th): Exponential Form and Scientific Notation
Day 1: Using money to show expanded and exponential form, intro to scientific notation
Day 2: Review adding and subtracting fractions

Week 6 (October 10th and 12th): Number Theory 2: Finding Greatest Common Factors
Day 1: Method 1:  Listing Factors to Find the Greatest Common Factor
Day 2: Method 2: Using Prime Factorization to find the Greatest Common Factor

Week 7 (October 17th and 19th): Solving 1 Step Equations Using the Multiplicative Inverse
Day 1: Understanding the Multiplicative Inverse as Reciprocals and Division
Day 2: Using Multiplicative Inverse to Solve Equations through "Undoing"

Week 8 (October 24th and 26th): Write and Evaluate Variable Expressions
Day 1: Writing Variable Expressions with 1 Operation
Day 2: Writing Variable Expressions with 2 or more Operations

Week 9 (October 31st and November 2nd): Solving for an Unknown using the Additive Inverse
Day 1: Variable expressions, Balancing equations, solving by "undoing"
Day 2: Review Topic: reciprocals (multiplying and dividing fractions)

Week 10 (November 7th & 9th): Angles and Triangles
Day 1: Classifying angles and triangles, measuring angles, finding missing angles 
Day 2: Review Topics: variable expressions, solving for unknowns, prime factorization

Week 11 (November 14th & 16th): More Triangles: Pythagorean Theory
Day 1: Using the Pythagorean Theory to find the length of a missing side
Day 2: Review Topics: Dividing fractions, fraction word problems

*No Class on November 21st/23rd 

Week 12 (November 28th & 30th): Associative and Commutative Properties
Day 1: Combining Like terms and simplifying expressions using associative and commutative properties
Day 2: Review Topics: Mixed Numbers and Improper fractions

Week 13 (December 5th & 7th): Distributive Property
Day 1: Rewrite and solve expressions using distributive property
Day 2: Review Topics: Finding common factors, fractions on a ruler, simplifying fractions

Week 14 (December 12 & 14th): Solving for an Unknown using the Multiplicative inverse & Order of Operations
Day 1: Solve 2-step equations by combining like terms and "undoing" using both additive and multiplicative inverse
Day 2: Review topics: Adding & Subtracting mixed numbers

*No class December 19th & 21st, 26th & 28th, and January 2nd and 4th (Optional graded test sent as homework over break)

Week 15 (January 9th & 11th): Geometry: Solids
Day 1: Identify solids, their nets, and features
Day 2: Review multiplying mixed numbers

Week 16 (January 16th & 18th): Geometry: Solids 2
Day 1: Calculate surface area of prisms and pyramids
Day 2: Review multiplying mixed numbers

Week 17 (January 23rd & 25th): Formulas and Equations
Day 1: Convert between Fahrenheit & Celcius
Day 2: Review Topic: Multiplying decimals

Week 18 (January 30th & February 1st): Absolute Value
Day 1: Solving expressions with absolute value
Day 2: Review Topics: Dividing decimals

Week 19 (February 6th & 8th): Ratio and Proportion
Day 1: Solving for the unknown in proportions
Day 2: Review Topics: More dividing decimals

Revised: Class cancelled week February 13th and 15th)

Week 20 (February 20th & 22nd): Geometry: Similar Polygons
Day 1: Writing proportions for similar polygons and solving for unknown side
Day 2: Review Topics: Converting decimals and fractions

Week 21 (February 27th & 29th) : Least Common Multiple
Day 1: Find the prime factors and LCMs of numbers
Day 2: Review Topics: Percentages, fractions, decimals

Week 22 (March 5th & 7th): Greatest Common Factor
Day 1: Find the prime factors and GCFs of numbers
Day 2: Review topics: Percents of a number

Week 23 (March 12th & 14th) : Adding Polynomials
Day 1: Explore polynomials with models, add polynomials
Day 2: Review topics: Word Problems

Week 24 (March 19th & 21st): Geometry: Volume of a Cylinder
Day 1: Calculate Volume of a Cylinder
Day 2: Review Topic: Points, lines, planes; Identifying and finding area/volume of 2D and 3D shapes

Week 25 (March 26th & 28th): Multiplying Polynomials
Day 1: Stacking and FOIL method
Day 2: Review Topics: Geometry: rays and angles

Week 26 (April 2nd & 4th): Measurement 1
Day 1: Customary Measurement review; Adding/Subtracting Time
Day 2: Review Topics: Geometry: identify & classify angles

Week 27 (April 9th & 11th): Geometry 
Day 1: Volume of Pyramid and Cone
Day 2: Review Topics: Geometry: Identify & Classify Quadrilaterals and other Polygons

* No class April 16th & 18th

Week 28 (April 23rd & 25th): Statistics 1: 
Day 1: Mean, Median, Mode, Range
Day 2: Box plots and Outliers

Week 29 (April 30th & May 2nd): Statistics 2: 
Day 1: 2 Variable Statistics on graphs
Day 2: Identify representative, random, and biased samples

Week 30 (May 7th & 9th): Probability 1
Day 1: Probability of simple events and compound events
Day 2: Review Topics: Standard vs. Military time

Week 31 (May 14th & 16th) : Probability 2
Day 1: Probability of simple events and compound events
Day 2: Review Topics: Standard vs. Military time

Week 32 (May 21st & 23rd): Measurement 2
Day 1: Mixed Customary Units; Adding/Subtracting Measurement 
Day 2: Review topics:  Metric Measurement review, larger metric prefixes

Week 33 (May 28th & 30th): Rational and Irrational Numbers
Day 1: Classifying, estimating, and ordering numbers
Day 2: Review topics: More Metric Measurement review, smaller metric prefixes

Week 34 (June 4th & 6th): Review (optional test sent as homework)
Day 1: Review/student choice 
Day 2: Final Test and Review