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Algebra Textbook Analysis (aka: Whats Wrong with My Textbook?) Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS)

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What does Dan Meyer have to say about textbooks? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlvKWEvKSi8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlvKWEvKSi8 Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS)

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An example from Dan: what algebra unit should this be in? What should we do to this problem to make it more real? Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS)

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Dan talks about climbing the ladder of abstraction. Is this the bottom rung of the ladder? Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS)

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Moving up one rung on the ladder of abstraction. What have we done? Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS)

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This is the second to last rung on the ladder of abstraction. What have we done? Whats left to do? Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS)

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And finally, we get where we want to be. How much longer does this take? Is it worth your time? Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS)

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From Geometry, McDougal Littell, Jurgensen, Brown and Jurgensen, 2000. Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS) A cow is tied by a 25 m long rope to the corner of a barn as shown. A fence keeps the cow out of the garden. Find, to the nearest square meter, the grazing area. Heres a GREAT problem from a textbook, but....

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The textbook solution. How would you solve this with a bunch of middle schoolers? Algebra Common Core State Standards (ACCSS)