CASEY WRIGHTEDC 448

FEBRUARY 14, 2013GRADE 8

Solving Single Variable Equations

Guiding Questions

Are you able to determine how much you can buy with a certain amount of money?

Why do we practice solving equations?Are you able to determine how much you

were paid per hour?

Offline Texts

Pre-Algebra : Prentice Hall Mathematics

This 875 page text is very straight forward and easy to follow for the students. It provides step by step examples for solving single variable equations and explains each step to solving the equation. The text is written for an eighth grade reader where all the main points are highlighted or in bold to catch the students eye. This text book also offers self-assessments and challenges the students who are excelling in the class as well as providing review for the students who need more practice with prior concepts.Bellman, Allan E., and Sadie Chavis Bragg. Algebra ! Needham, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall,

n.d. Print.

Online Texts / Practices

Prentice Hall Online Website

Prentice Hall offers a great online website that allows students to access the textbook as well as problems from home through the computer. This permits students to leave their textbooks at school and practice problems at home. This also allows students to check their understanding after each section in a chapter to ensure that students are understanding the material before continuing onto a more complicated problem. This online source also allows the students to see real life applications about why they need to know the material. This webpage also provides extra practice for students who are not yet comfortable with the new concept.

"Solving One-Step Equations." Ch.2, Lesson 1, Objective 1. Prentice Hall, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Sparknotes.com

Although sparknotes.com sometimes has bad connotations about its site, its provides great help and examples for students on how to create single variable equations from word problems. Spark notes gives a check list to the students on what they should look for and what steps to take when seeing a word problem. This site also gives several examples and walks the students through the steps. Another great aspect of this site is that it has an introduction which states why it is useful and also points out key terms that students must know. This website is awesome for eighth graders because it highlights and provides steps the student should take when encountering a word problem. It is well organized for the students to maneuver as well.SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Applications of Solving Equations.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. n.d..

Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

MathTV.com

This Math website provides videos for students to watch either at home or at school. They give examples of equations and then gives astep by step explanation about solving the equation. This website not only provides videos for algebra but for other subjects as well. So if students need a refresher or need more help on prior concepts they are able to get help through this website as well. This is a great tool because in these short videos the “tutor” provides explanations for each step and writes big and clear for the students to see and comprehend.

"MathTV - Videos By Topic." MathTV - Videos By Topic. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Algebra-Class.com

This website is a great homework helper, it provides step by step explanations of solving equations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and also helps students write equations given a word problem. It is organized in a way where it introduces a topic with a catch that makes the student see where they could use solving equations in real life scenarios and then talks them through several examples. This website is easy to find your way around and is appealing to an eighth grade eye by putting text box’s around key concepts and highlighting vocabulary the students need to know.

Hutchinson, Karin. "REAL WORLD PROBLEMS:How to Write Equations Based on Algebra Word Problems." Algebra Word Problems and Writing Equations. AlgebraClass.com, 2009. Web. 13 Feb.

2013.

CoolMath.com

CoolMath.com is a website that provides examples and explanations for students. This website is great for 8th graders because it is colorful and fun and does not present the material with “boring” textbook language but uses language such as “ditch the” rather than lengthy vocabulary. It also has a great feature where the students can get a scientific or graphing calculator straight from the website if they are having trouble with the calculation. This math site does not only provide help for algebra but can be helpful with any high school math course the students takes. By introducing this website to students they can get math help at home anytime they need. Another great aspect of this website is the “algebracruncher” which gives the students problems to do on their own and then the answer when they have completed the problem, which is great for the students to practice with.

"Solving Equations - Cool Math Algebra Help Lessons - How to Deal with Fractions & Decimals." Solving Equations - Cool Math Algebra Help Lessons - How to Deal with Fractions & Decimals. Coolmath.com Inc, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Equation Buster : MathsNet

MathsNet online activity called “Equation Buster 2” allows students to see what happens when adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing to each side does to the equation. The goal is to find x and although the student does not work on his/her calculating skills it ensures that the student is understanding the concept of solving single variable equations and the concept of cancelling out coefficients in front of variables and constants.

"Equation Buster 2." MathsNet Ltd:. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Number Balls– Math Game

This online game has the students solve for x in each “bubble” and then has the students pop the bubbles from lowest x-value to highest x-value. This game requires speed and accuracy by the student and provides practice on solving single variable equations. Although this game may be challenging or a little nerve-racking for some students who do not yet fully comprehend the concept this allows them more practice and the opportunity to get problems wrong. This game also challenges the students who are ahead because it creates a competition and promotes speed and accuracy when solving problems.

" ." Fun Kids Online Math Games. Sheppards Software, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

10 Everyday Reasons Why Equations Are Important in Your Life

Students are always wondering why they need to know the material and how it is going to apply to their life. This article giving the top ten reasons why equations are important is a great tool for teachers to use to explain to student why they need to understand the material. The article is easy to understand and is organized so that the reasons are bolded followed by an explanation. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade level reading index calculator indicated that the text was at a 10th grade reading level, but with some help from the teacher and their peers, this text would be very beneficial for the students to read. With the highlighted terms and straightforward explanations the students will then understand why equations are important in their everyday life.

"10 Everyday Reasons Why Equations Are Important in Your Life." 10 Everyday Reasons Why Equations Are Important in Your Life. Math Worksheet Center, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

bibliography

Bellman, Allan E., and Sadie Chavis Bragg. Algebra ! Needham, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, n.d. Print.

"Equation Buster 2." MathsNet Ltd:. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.Hutchinson, Karin. "REAL WORLD PROBLEMS:How to Write Equations Based

on Algebra Word Problems." Algebra Word Problems and Writing Equations. AlgebraClass.com, 2009. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

"MathTV - Videos By Topic." MathTV - Videos By Topic. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

"Solving One-Step Equations." Ch.2, Lesson 1, Objective 1. Prentice Hall, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

“Solve for x ." Fun Kids Online Math Games. Sheppards Software, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

"Solving Equations - Cool Math Algebra Help Lessons - How to Deal with Fractions & Decimals." Solving Equations - Cool Math Algebra Help Lessons - How to Deal with Fractions & Decimals. Coolmath.com Inc, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Applications of Solving Equations.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

"10 Everyday Reasons Why Equations Are Important in Your Life." 10 Everyday Reasons Why Equations Are Important in Your Life. Math Worksheet Center, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.