manipulatives
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Intro to Simplifying Algebraic Expressions with Tacos and Burritos
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Equal Parts of Fractions – Intro
The concept of fractions as some number of equal parts begins in 1st grade per the Common Core (image below). There are students who struggle with the idea of equal parts and this could undermine student work in subsequent topics. The activity cited in this post is designed to develop the concept of equal parts.…
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Introduction to Slope
Slope is one of the the most important topics in algebra and is often understood by students at a superficial level. I suggest introducing slope first by drawing upon prior knowledge and making the concept relevant (see photo above). This includes presenting the topic using multiple representations: the original real life situation, rates (see photo…
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Color Coding and Representation for Integers
This example involves adding integers which is a major challenge for many students. There are two strategies present in the photo. Color coding is an effective way to break down a concept into parts. Here red is used for negative numbers and yellow for positive. The numbers are written in red and yellow with colored…