Pre-Algebra Topics ISN Pages

 Ok, here are some of the pre-algebra pages I used for both my Foundations and Algebra 1 class. I'm sure most of the ideas came from other people, so don't think I thought these up! I'll provide links to the originals if I can find them. :)

Intro to graphing: I love that this says "quadrant" in the order of the quadrants. Inside, a graph with the axes, origin, and several points labeled.

Integers: we used manipulatives for DAYS. We played this amazing game of dots, and we made more human number lines out of students holding index cards than I care to count. The vocab frayer models are these from Math=Love. I keep about 100 copies of her frayer page on hand at all times. 

This foldable just had examples on the inside with drawings of the manipulatives that we used as we worked.

Below, a great example of how much homework I usually give - and they copy it down, rather than me copying and wasting paper. 

On to fractions! Here is a great foldable that lets them play around with fractions of the same value.

The bottom part of the page was a trimmed worksheet folded in half. It will take them a while to color, but it's worth it for the worksheets on that page - great questions!

(UPDATE: the website linked above is no longer active. I've recreated the foldable here. To assemble, you cut out the center 4 squares without cutting through the outside squares. Then fold the middle line & middle squares on each side like a mountain and pull the four corner squares into the center to form a base. The middle squares end up vertical until they're flattened, as shown.)

This conversion page I came up with after seeing this picture of an FDP triangle. 

We also of course worked out more examples in 4mulaFun's FDP foldable:

Their FDP homework:

Create an FDP chart, and I filled in one part per row. Their homework was to fill in the matching 2 parts for each row, showing work beneath the chart.
Did I mention this unit was completely calculator inactive? Love it!

Operations with fractions and decimals:

Fractions on the left, decimals on the right

Words into math: I also wrote these on index cards for each group and had them physically sort these before we wrote them into the page.

 The chart idea I got from this blog post

Order of operations - I'm sure this foldable has been done hundreds of times - not sure who came up with the idea, but it's great!

Our order of operations examples (upside down pyramids) - in each row, we highlighted the new number that was created from the previous step. 

Ok - CLT. Love me some CLT. 

Here's the original for this pyramid, and here's a link to the smaller ones of the same type. 

This activity is just a typed up expression, which they cut and sort into like terms, then combine the like terms for each group. We do a gigantic class version of this as well with index cards. 

Ok, and now finally to solving one and two step equations. We start with manipulatives. I place a strip of washi tape down every desk, we cut out algebra tiles, and do examples over and over and over. 

Then we do some equations crossword puzzles - just 2-steps with blank spaces where the step needs to be. 

 Then some cut and paste work - this helps with students that don't know where to start. If they have options to choose from, they are more willing to try. 

 Want more resources from these units?
Check out this amazing county resource site!!