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8 Engaging Early Algebra Lessons (FREE)

July 20, 2016

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I love Algebra. It’s true, I do! I don’t even mind long, tedious calculations. I love the challenge of correctly “undoing” an equation to find the solution. I love knowing I can check my answer. I love the feeling of satisfaction when I correctly solve it. This is why I spent most of my time in the classroom as an Algebra teacher. In the beginning, however, students often get hung up on some of those early foundations, making the rest of their math career a challenge. So today I want to share a list of FREE Pre-algebra lessons and resources that will hopefully help your kids make sense of these challenging concepts!

This post includes TONS of free Prealgebra or Algebra lessons and resources! Topics include expressions and equations, distributive property, exponents, absolute value and more. So many valuable resources for Algebra teachers in this post!

*Please Note: This post includes affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

Helpful Pre-Algebra Lessons and Resources:

Most of these are interactive investigations which encourage kids to discover Algebra properties on their own. Some are simply hand-outs to help ensure students are successful. Each of the lessons includes teaching tips and answer keys as well.

I hope you find this list of resources helpful as you make Algebra fun and meaningful!

Understanding Math Vocabulary:

This freebie is a simple handout that provides kids with an overview of math specific vocabulary, as well as some practice to “translate” phrases into math expressions and equations.

Click here to learn more about the Math Vocabulary Handout

Understanding the Distributive Property:

This problem-based lesson helps students see and apply the distributive property in real life.

Click here to learn more about the Distributive Property lesson

Adding and Subtracting Integers:

This guided lesson helps students understand in a visual way what happens when you add and subtract positive and negative numbers.

Click here to learn more about the Integers lesson

Want more integer practice? Try this free 2-in-1 integer operations game.

Patterns in Pascal’s Triangle:

Much of Algebra consists of seeing and describing patterns in the real world. Learn how exploring patterns in Pascal’s triangle can help students with Algebra.

Click here to learn more about the Pascal’s Triangle worksheets

How Much Does a Pumpkin Cost?:

This 3-part Algebra lesson set uses a real life example to guide students through various Algebra skills such as writing and evaluating expressions and solving linear equations.

Click here to learn more about the Cost of a Pumpkin lessons

Making Sense of Absolute Value:

No matter what level of Algebra I taught, I always spent time teaching absolute value in a conceptual way. This is a hard concept for kids to get, and often leads to misconceptions later on. Use this guided lesson to build a solid foundation.

Click here to learn more about the Absolute Value lesson

Understanding Exponent Properties:

The properties of exponents can also cause problems if students simply memorize rules. This lesson shows students the properties in a way that will help them retain and solve more difficult problems.

Click here to learn more about the Exponent Properties lesson

The King’s Chessboard Problem:

This problem is based on the storybook, The King’s Chessboard, and is a great way to explore exponential growth. You can read the story with Pre-algebra students and use the problem and discussion questions to explore, or you could use this as an introduction to exponential functions with more advanced students.

Click HERE to learn more about  The King’s Chessboard problem

I hope this list of ideas and resources gives you a great starting point as you teach and help kids build a solid foundation for Algebra and beyond!

Ready for more? Many of these free lessons are part of my huge Algebra Essentials Resource Bundle! Everything you need to help kids build a solid Algebra foundation and set them up for success! Click the graphic below to learn more and purchase the complete bundle.

This huge lesson bundle is jam-packed full of resources for the Algebra classroom! This is the perfect supplement to your curriculum and includes inquiry based lessons, fun practice pages and an extensive real world project to put their skills to use!

Don’t see what you need? What Pre-algebra concept do your kids find most challenging? Share in the comments!


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Filed Under: Algebra, Free Printables, Interactive Worksheet, Pre-Algebra Tagged With: absolute value, distributive property, evaluating expressions, exponential functions, exponents, integers, linear equations, vocabulary, writing expressions

Comments

  1. shahid jabbar beigh says

    February 22, 2017 at 1:49 am

    algebra

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I'm Bethany, a.k.a Math Geek Mama. I believe every child can succeed in math with the right help and support. So I'm here to help you provide rich and engaging math lessons without sacrificing your entire weekend. Learn more about the resources I create HERE.
Math Time Doesn't Have to End in Tears

Join 108,000+ parents and teachers who learn new tips and strategies, as well as receive engaging resources to make math fun. Plus, receive my guide, "5 Games You Can Play Today to Make Math Fun," as my free gift to get you started!

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