Shelby Johnson Alma Govea Jenny Ummel

1. Main objectives: Students will be able to understand variables being used as unknown values. Students will be able to learn about variables through the use of symbols. Students will understand the concept of the equal sign and how to apply it when solving for variables. Students will be able to identify how to use applets as resources for understanding algebraic content. 2. State (1) CCSSM content standard & (2) CCSSM practice standards CCSS.Math.Content.6.EE.B.6 Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.

Practice Standard #5: Use appropriate tools strategically. Use technological tools to explore and deepen their understanding of concepts. o The scale app is appropriate for grade level and can enable students to visualize the results of different assumptions. Practice Standard #1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Use concrete objects or pictures to help conceptualize and solve a problem. o The word problem uses pictures of fruits and equation facts. Students must create and follow a plan and check progress.

3. Materials Handout (provided) Pencils Laptop (at least 1 per group) Exit slips (provided) 4. Prior Knowledge Students are familiar with what a variable is. Students are familiar with how to write an equation. 5. Brief Breakdown a) Introduction To introduce the lesson, we will first define the term equation and what the equal sign represents. An equation needs to be balanced. It can be thought of as a scale, with the equal sign as the center. An equation may be balanced by two things: constants (numbers) and variables. We will use the balance tool manipulative. In this, each shape is given a certain weight. Students will work in

groups on computers to find equivalent sets of shapes by placing them on each side of the scale. When both sides balance, the relationship is added to the righthand table. Students will continue to explore, seeing which shapes weigh more, and what is done to create balance. If the scale is balanced, we know that there is an equal amount of weight on both sides. Next, after groups have found certain sets that balance, ask questions like if I add a circle to the left side, what could be done to make it remain balanced? The same concept should be discussed on taking away a shape from each side and the result. Students will need to understand that as long as the same operation is done to both sides, the equation will remain balanced.

b) Exploration of the problem We will pass out the worksheets for students to complete. First, students will work individually. After they have had time to think on their own, they will talk with their group. Many story problems involve a situation where a variable is a specific unknown. Students should think about the balance scale as they solve the story problems. The problems involve buying fruit by the pound, based on how much each fruit weights. By creating an equation and balancing it to find the unknown variable, students will determine how much each fruit weighs, based on the facts given. The symbols in the word problems will help prepare students to define variables later in formal algebraic work. For this part, we anticipate some students getting stuck because each fact by itself does not give enough information. They might have too many pieces of unknown information in their number sentence. We will ask them to think about combining two facts together. If students finish early: Hand students the extension directions. Students will choose a different set than the introduction activity. These are found on the same link with the scale manipulative. After figuring out a balance on the scale using the shapes and different weights, click on guess weights at the bottom. One shapes unknown weight will be shown. Work through to figure out what the weights of the other shapes must be in order for the balanced scale to make sense in equation form. Check your answers as you go.

c) Lesson Summary To wrap up the lesson, students will discuss their results from the word problems. What did you find out about the weights of the fruits? Next, review the meaning of the equals sign (balance). Within a context, as in the introduction activity, we can explore variables standing for an unknown value. Students can apply the concept of the equal sign to understand and solve for variables. Hand out the exit slip to the students to fill out. o How can a scale be used to reinforce the notion of the equal sign? o In our activity, were variables used as unknown values or quantities that vary?

6. Assessment Summary We will be measuring that the students met the objectives we set for them through the different steps in our lesson. We will be able to see if they understand that variables can be used as unknown values through their comprehension of the handout we will be giving them; the problems will test their understanding of the concept. We will also be measuring their understanding of the symbol use by going around the groups and seeing how they are working through their understanding of the problems they are working through; hearing their explanations and thought processes can help us measure their understanding. Our final method of measuring will be how well they understand how to use the applet we will introduce as a resource to help them work through future problems similar to the ones provided. 7. Paragraph on how it relates to Van De Walle advice This activity related to Van De Walles advice because he wants to make sure students correctly understand the equals sign. We address this in the introduction activity where we reinforce the balancing idea of the equal sign. It also relates to Van De Walles advice because he advises teachers to allow student exploration and give them manipulatives to work their problems through. After exploring with shapes and balance, we have students then explore symbols and numbers, which leads to variables. We focus on providing students the tools needed to help them understand when variables are used as unknown values. Van De Walle suggests that students explore variables within a context, as we did in the fruit salad problem. 8. Lesson Handouts (if needed)

Applet Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/Activity.aspx?id=3531

Jack went to the store to buy some fruit for his fruit salad. The fruit is priced by the pound. Help Jack find out how many pounds the apple, the cantaloupe, and the watermelon are so he can figure out how many he can buy. How much does each fruit weigh given the following three facts:

1.

= 7. 65 pounds

2.

= 10.43 pounds

3.

= 15.68 pounds

Answers Apple: 1.2 lbs Cantaloupe: 6.45 lbs Watermelon: 9. 23 lbs

Jack decided he needed more than three fruit for his fruit salad so he went back to the store to buy more fruit. Help him figure out how much the kiwi, pomegranate, and pineapple weigh so he can make one awesome fruit salad! Yummy, Yummy! How much does each fruit weigh, given the following three facts:

1.

= 4.175 pounds

2.

= 7.725 pounds

3.

= 13.15 pounds

Answers Kiwi: 0.65 lbs Half: 0.325 lbs Pomegranate: 3.2 lbs Pineapple: 6.75 lbs

Exit Slip

1. How can a scale be used to reinforce the notion of the equal sign?

2. In our activity, were the variables used as unknown values or quantities that vary?