Accessible Algebra

Anne M. Collins, professor of mathematics and education, is the Director of Mathematics Programs and the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University. A former member of the board of directors for NCTM, she works with preservice and in-service teachers, helping them deepen their mathematics pedagogical content knowledge. Her research focuses on the impact of formative assessment on student achievement. Steven R. Benson is a mathematician and mathematics educator at Lesley University; he has created curriculum and facilitated professional development for pre- and in-service teachers for nearly thirty years. He was the lead author of Ways to Think About Mathematics: Activities and Investigations for Grade 6–12 Teachers (Corwin 2004).

Introduction; Expressions; 1: Order of Operations; 2: Writing Expressions from Tables; 3: Growing Patterns; 4: Taxes and Interest; 5: Venn Diagrams and Factor Lattices; 6: Area Expressions; 7: Multiplying Polynomials; 8: Powerful Integers; 9: Absolutely!; 10: Square Root Approximations; Equations; 11: Activity Centers; 12: Balance Beams; 13: Challenge and Intervention Centers; 14: Gauss and Figurate Numbers; 15. Equations in All Forms; 16: Linear Systems; 17: Systems; 18: Proportions on the Cartesian Coordinate Plane; 19: What Is the Better Buy?; 20: Walking Rates; 21: Absolute Value; 22: Nonlinear Explorations; Functions; 23: Functionally Speaking; 24: Number Patterns into Functions; 25: Function Translations; 26: Celsius to Fahrenheit and Back Again; 27: Absolute Value Functions; 28: Modeling Exponentially; 29: Falling to Pieces; 30: Why the Finite Differences Method Works