8th Grade
Pre-Algebra is an important class to help students make a wise decision when scheduling for high school courses. It strengthens basic skills and teaches fundamental laws of Algebra. Whenever possible an effort is made to show life applications for the problem-solving skills to enable students to succeed in career and life choices in the 21st century.
The purpose of this class is to give more challenge to our students and to prepare them for Algebra I in high school. Pre-Algebra is a continued maintenance and extension of all computational skills. A student enrolling in this course should be able to compute problems using the four basic operations with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. The course stresses properties and reasoning abilities to allow the student to see “why” a problem is solved in a certain way. Various problem-solving strategies are discussed. There is much work done with variables and equations. Calculators are used when appropriate.
Grade and/or class: 8th Grade – Pre-Algebra
Date of Last Revision: 2002-2003
Writer: Janet Zirbel
Students will be able to
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District Skill Competency: 1. Recognize and solve problems with single and multi-step solutions and apply these strategies to non-routine problems. |
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I, c |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will recognize appropriate strategies to solve different types of problems. Then the students will develop strategies and solve single and multi-step problems from text and worksheets. |
Individually students will solve multi-step problems and write their won problems to fit a chosen strategy. |
MA1 |
3.2, 3.3 |
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District Skill Competency: 2. Analyze and transfer learned strategies to solve similar problems. |
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I, e |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will analyze strategies on single-step problems and then transfer method to multi-step problems by combining strategies. Students will work in groups to compare and analyze strategies and solve problems. |
Individually students will analyze and transfer strategies to solve problems showing work and explaining strategies used. |
MA1 |
3.2, 3.3, 3.6 |
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District Skill Competency: 3. Identify and apply deductive and inductive reasoning. |
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III, d |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will identify and define types of reasoning and apply deductive and inductive reasoning to solve problems and use formulas. |
Individually students will identify and apply different reasoning to solve problems. |
MA1 MA2 |
3.5, 4.1 |
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District Skill Competency: 4. Recognize patterns and explain relationship using algebraic form. |
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III, e |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will recognize patterns, explain and put in rule form, using words, then variables. |
Individually students will recognize patterns and state algebra rule for it and use patterns to solve problems and predict outcomes. |
MA1 MA4 |
1.6 |
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District Skill Competency: 5. Change over numbers to equivalent forms and use appropriate form to solve problems with real life application. |
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V, b |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will change numbers to equivalent forms and use appropriate form to solve a variety of problems. |
Individually students will change over and use various ways of writing equivalent forms of numbers in problems solving. |
MA5 |
1.6, 1.10 |
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District Skill Competency: 6. Find perimeter, area, volume, angle measure capacity, weight, and mass, choosing appropriate formulas and labels for real life applications. |
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VI, g |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will use formulas and measuring to find different geometrical concepts and apply these to problem solving for life skills. |
Individually students will use formulas and apply concepts to solve problems to find different geometric measures. |
MA2 |
2.5, 4.1 |
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District Skill Competency: 7. Convert to different units of measure, within the English system and between English and metric. |
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VI, h |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will convert units of measure and solve problems with conversions and work with scale drawings. |
Individually students will convert measurements as needed, solving problems and make scale drawings. |
MA2 |
1.6 |
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District Skill Competency: 8. Use discovery method to develop needed formulas. Be able to apply and use correct formula for solving problems involving measurements. |
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VI, I |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will use tiles to develop area formulas and cubes for volume of rectangular prisms. |
Individually students will explain how they develop a certain formula and apply appropriate formula to solve problems. |
MA2 |
1.6, 3.7 |
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District Skill Competency: 9. Examine and identify different types of patterns and be able to continue the pattern and predict outcomes in problem solving. Make own pattern and explain. |
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VIII, a |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will examine and identify different types of patterns, and use to predict outcome. Develop and explain their own pattern and present developed pattern to class and explain. |
Individually students will examine, identify types, and extend patterns to solve problems and predict outcomes. |
MA4 |
1.6, 1.8, 2.1 |
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District Skill Competency: 10. Examine and work with algebra-type problems – observing changes, patterns, and relationships in the dependent variable as independent variable is changed. |
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VIII, c |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will examine and solve algebra-type problems, observe and explain patterns as values for independent variable are changed. Students will use function tables, input and output game, and textbook. |
Individually students will solve problems and explain changes and patterns of algebraic functions as variable values are changes. |
MA4 |
1.6, 3.3 |
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District Skill Competency: 11. Observe and study patterns of changes in the world around us and apply to solve real-life problems. |
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VIII, d |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will observe and study patterns of changes in the world around us such as population, cost of living, etc. and apply relations to solve problems and predict outcomes. |
Individually students will study information or observe current changes, and apply these patterns of change to solve problems and explain possible future outcomes. |
MA4 |
1.6, 3.3 |
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District Skill Competency: 12. Find the value or values for a variable when solving equations or inequalities using inverse logical steps. |
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VIII, e |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will solve equations and inequalities, finding solution – using inverse operations. (“Hands-On Equations Kits”) |
Individually student will solve equations and inequalities and may be asked to develop an equation or inequalities and explain steps to solve. |
MA1 MA4 |
1.6, 3.4 |
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District Skill Competency: 13. Analyze different mathematical systems and their uses. |
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IX, d |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will study and analyze and use different math systems; including whole numbers, fractions, integers, and real numbers. Also geometry, measure and number theory. |
Individually students will study and use properties to solve problems and explain choice for different solutions. |
MA4 |
1.6, 3.3 |
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District Skill Competency: 14. Use the algebraic properties to show choices while solving and estimating problems. |
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IX, e |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will study and use algebraic properties to solve problems develop shortcuts and estimate. |
Individually students will study and use properties to solve problems and explain choice for different solutions. |
MA4 |
1.6, 3.3 |
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District Skill Competency: 15. Define irrational numbers and solve problems using irrational numbers. |
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IX, f |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will define irrational numbers and use in real-world problems solving involving p or and how to round answer appropriate. |
Individually students will define and solve some problems involving irrational numbers. |
MA5 |
1.6, 3.4 |
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District Skill Competency: 16. Identify a pattern, continue the pattern and use inductive reasoning to make a general conclusion. |
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X, a |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will study and identify patterns, predicting how it would continue and draw conclusions and write rule. |
Individually students will identify patterns and use inductive reasoning to continue patterns and draw conclusions. |
MA6 |
1.6, 3.5 |
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District Skill Competency: 17. Analyze an “if – then” relationship and use for predicting and for drawing conclusions. |
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X, b |
Through lecture, notes, and discussion, students will study and discuss and “if - then” relationship and draw conclusion and if true or false conclusion and if generalization made too soon. |
Individually students will draw conclusions on an “if - then” statement and explain reasoning. |
MA6 |
1.6, 3.5 |