My students will begin the year working on operations with matrices. This topic comprises a large part of the Standard Course of Study and the EOC Algebra 1 Test. We will then move into solving and writing inequalities, using similar figures and proportions. Students will have a formal assessment by the end of week two (they will have had several quizzes and assignments by this time as well).

Next, we will then jump into exponents, a necessary thing before tackling all the many facets of factoring. Factoring is a huge part of Algebra 1. After spending no less than 2 weeks on exponents and factoring, with lots of practice followed by a formal assessment, I hope to then begin our unit on relations and functions, another large precursor to solving systems of equations.

            If in the process of assessing my students I see that they have not mastered the concepts, I will re-teach using a different approach and re-test. If I get off the pacing guide schedule, I will just have to modify and do the best I can. (Moving ahead when students haven’t grasped the necessary material is not an option with algebra!)

 

            I am very excited about our new algebra 1 pacing guide. I see very little repetition from the eighth grade curriculum. I expect students to be excited about learning these new concepts right from the start of the year, rather than reviewing and doing the same old thing for the first several weeks.