Expressions

Type of Unit: Concept

Prior Knowledge

Students should be able to:

Write and evaluate simple expressions that record calculations with numbers.
Use parentheses, brackets, or braces in numerical expressions and evaluate expressions with these symbols.
Interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them.

Lesson Flow

Students learn to write and evaluate numerical expressions involving the four basic arithmetic operations and whole-number exponents. In specific contexts, they create and interpret numerical expressions and evaluate them. Then students move on to algebraic expressions, in which letters stand for numbers. In specific contexts, students simplify algebraic expressions and evaluate them for given values of the variables. Students learn about and use the vocabulary of algebraic expressions. Then they identify equivalent expressions and apply properties of operations, such as the distributive property, to generate equivalent expressions. Finally, students use geometric models to explore greatest common factors and least common multiples.

Students play an Expressions Game in which they describe expressions to their partners using the vocabulary of expressions: term, coefficient, exponent, constant, and variable. Their partners try to write the correct expressions based on the descriptions.Key ConceptsMathematical expressions have parts, and these parts have names. These names allow us to communicate with others in a precise way.A variable is a symbol (usually a letter) in an expression that can be replaced by a number.A term is a number, a variable, or a product of numbers and variables. Terms are separated by the operator symbols + (plus) and – (minus).A coefficient is a symbol (usually a number) that multiplies the variable in an algebraic expression.An exponent tells how many copies of a number or variable are multiplied together.A constant is a number. In an expression, it can be a constant term or a constant coefficient. In the expression 2x + 3, 2 is a constant coefficient and 3 is a constant term.Goals and Learning ObjectivesIdentify parts of an expression using appropriate mathematical vocabulary.Write expressions that fit specific descriptions (for example, the expression is the sum of two terms each with a different variable).

Four full-year digital course, built from the ground up and fully-aligned to the Common Core State Standards, for 7th grade Mathematics. Created using research-based approaches to teaching and learning, the Open Access Common Core Course for Mathematics is designed with student-centered learning in mind, including activities for students to develop valuable 21st century skills and academic mindset.

Algebraic Reasoning

Type of Unit: Concept

Prior Knowledge

Students should be able to:

Add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.
Evaluate expressions for a value of a variable.
Use the distributive property to generate equivalent expressions including combining like terms.
Understand solving an equation or inequality as a process of answering a question: which values from a specified set, if any, make the equation or inequality true?
Write and solve equations of the form x+p=q and px=q for cases in which p, q, and x are non-negative rational numbers.
Understand and graph solutions to inequalities x<c or x>c.
Use equations, tables, and graphs to represent the relationship between two variables.
Relate fractions, decimals, and percents.
Solve percent problems included those involving percent of increase or percent of decrease.

Lesson Flow

This unit covers all of the Common Core State Standards for Expressions and Equations in Grade 7. Students extend what they learned in Grade 6 about evaluating expressions and using properties to write equivalent expressions. They write, evaluate, and simplify expressions that now contain both positive and negative rational numbers. They write algebraic expressions for problem situations and discuss how different equivalent expressions can be used to represent different ways of solving the same problem. They make connections between various forms of rational numbers. Students apply what they learned in Grade 6 about solving equations such as x+2=6 or 3x=12 to solving equations such as 3x+6=12 and 3(x−2)=12. Students solve these equations using formal algebraic methods. The numbers in these equations can now be rational numbers. They use estimation and mental math to estimate solutions. They learn how solving linear inequalities differs from solving linear equations and then they solve and graph linear inequalities such as −3x+4<12. Students use inequalities to solve real-world problems, solving the problem first by arithmetic and then by writing and solving an inequality. They see that the solution of the algebraic inequality may differ from the solution to the problem.

Students use algebraic expressions and equations to represent rules of thumb involving measurement. They use properties of operations and the relationships between fractions, decimals, and percents to write equivalent expressions.Key ConceptsExpressions and equations are different. An expression is a number, a variable, or a combination of numbers and variables. Some examples of expressions are:74x5a + b3(2m + 1)In Grade 7, the focus is on linear expressions. A linear expression is a sum of terms that are either rational numbers or a rational number times a variable (with an exponent of either 0 or 1). If an expression contains a variable, it is called an algebraic expression. To evaluate an expression, each variable is replaced with a given value.Equivalent expressions are expressions for which a given value can be substituted for each variable and the value of the expressions are the same.An equation is a statement that two expressions are equal. An equation can be true or false. To solve an equation, students find the value of the variable that makes the equation true.Students solve an equation that involves finding 10% of a number. They see that finding 10% of the number is the same as finding 0.1 of the number, or finding 110 of the number.Goals and Learning ObjectivesWrite expressions and equations to represent real-world situations.Evaluate expressions for given values of a variable.Use properties of operations to write equivalent expressions.Solve one-step equations.Check the solution to an equation.

This lesson unit is intended to help you assess how well students use algebra in context, and in particular, how well students: explore relationships between variables in everyday situations; find unknown values from known values; find relationships between pairs of unknowns, and express these as tables and graphs; and find general relationships between several variables, and express these in different ways by rearranging formulae.

(Nota: Esta es una traducción de un recurso educativo abierto creado por el Departamento de Educación del Estado de Nueva York (NYSED) como parte del proyecto "EngageNY" en 2013. Aunque el recurso real fue traducido por personas, la siguiente descripción se tradujo del inglés original usando Google Translate para ayudar a los usuarios potenciales a decidir si se adapta a sus necesidades y puede contener errores gramaticales o lingüísticos. La descripción original en inglés también se proporciona a continuación.)

En el módulo 4, los estudiantes extienden lo que ya saben sobre las tarifas unitarias y las relaciones proporcionales con ecuaciones lineales y sus gráficos. Los estudiantes entienden las conexiones entre relaciones proporcionales, líneas y ecuaciones lineales en este módulo. Los estudiantes aprenden a aplicar las habilidades que adquirieron en los grados 6 y 7, con respecto a la notación simbólica y las propiedades de la igualdad para transcribir y resolver ecuaciones en una variable y luego en dos variables.

Encuentre el resto de los recursos matemáticos de Engageny en https://archive.org/details/engageny-mathematics.

English Description:
In Module 4, students extend what they already know about unit rates and proportional relationships to linear equations and their graphs.  Students understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations in this module.  Students learn to apply the skills they acquired in Grades 6 and 7, with respect to symbolic notation and properties of equality to transcribe and solve equations in one variable and then in two variables.

Find the rest of the EngageNY Mathematics resources at https://archive.org/details/engageny-mathematics.

In this seminar you will learn how to solve single step equations. You will apply techniques you have learned regarding addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. You will use the techniques learned in this seminar to verify solutions to various other types of problems as you move forward and solve for missing variables. When solving single step equations, you will use inverse operations to find missing variables and then use substitution to check each problem to verify that your answer is correct.StandardsCC.2.2.HS.D.8Apply inverse operations to solve equations or formulas for a given variable.

Open Resources for Community College Algebra (ORCCA) is an open-source, openly-licensed textbook package (eBook, print, and online homework) for basic and intermediate algebra. At Portland Community College, Part 1 is used in MTH 60, Part 2 is used in MTH 65, and Part 3 is used in MTH 95.

This activity is an experimental investigation in which students use paper helicopters to examine types of variables and how to manipulate variables in experimental design.

What do plants need? Students examine the effects of light and air on green plants, learning the processes of photosynthesis and transpiration. Student teams plant seeds, placing some in sunlight and others in darkness. They make predictions about the outcomes and record ongoing observations of the condition of the stems, leaves and roots. Then, several healthy plants are placed in glass jars with lids overnight. Condensation forms, illustrating the process of transpiration, or the release of moisture to the atmosphere by plants.

Students will use the Design Process to build and test multiple wind turbine designs in order to generate electricity.

Students will use the Design Process to build and test multiple wind turbine designs in order to generate electricity.

In this activity, student teams create a knowledge map of the essential characteristics or factors of a planet with a habitable climate, identifying range of inputs, outputs and variables of a planetary environmental system. Identified characteristics are compared to extreme environments on Earth, such as the Antarctic or the Sahara desert, and are used to consider the real life challenge of searching for life in extreme environments. The resource includes a student data sheet, questions, teacher's guide and scoring rubric. This is Activity B of two activities in the first module, titled "Temperature variations and habitability," of the resource, Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate? The course aims to help students to develop an understanding of our environment as a system of human and natural processes that result in changes that occur over various space and time scales.

In this project/lab, students will create a program using TurtleStitch, a Snap-based, block programing website, to embroider a pattern on a t-shirt or piece of fabric.  Students will complete a series of lessons to better understand the block language and create their program.

In this seminar you will learn how to solve problems where variables are on each side of the equation. You will apply techniques you have learned to this point involving inverse operations. You will use the techniques learned in this seminar to verify solutions to various other types of problems as you move forward, primarily when solving for any unknown variable. When solving equations with a variable on each side, you will first want to isolate the variable to one side and then use inverse operations to solve for it.  StandardsCC.2.2.HS.D.8Apply inverse operations to solve equations or formulas for a given variable.  

This curriculum guide offers a list of Open Educational Resources (OER) that are arranged in a logical sequence for introducing polynomials with visual models, particularly using arrays and area models.

     This problem-based learning module is designed to link a student’s real-life problem to learning targets in the subjects of math, social studies and language arts.  The problem being, what route is best for me to buy a vehicle?  The students will prepare, research and present findings about their own personal finances relating to buying a vehicle.  The students will create two equations based on two purchasing plans they will be comparing.  At the conclusion, students will be able to decide which plan is best for them based on research and mathematical practices.  Students will present to their peers, teachers, administrators, and most importantly their parents in an attempt to convince them of their chosen plan.    This blended module includes teacher led instruction, student led rotations, community stakeholder collaboration and technology integration.