Algebra activities for the blended learning classroom

Will we be remote? In person? Following some sort of hybrid blended learning model? Because it's so up in the air, and because updating my printable resources was something I should have done a long time ago, I have been working on my algebra resources to now also include digital links.

Every algebra activity in this post is in both printable and digital form (within the same file) to work if we follow either a distance, face-to-face or hybrid model at school. I have been updating all of my printable algebra activities to now also include links to interactive digital versions so that you will have the activities you need.

Since everything changed in March, then a couple more weeks of coming to terms with the change, I have been working on updating the paper algebra activities in my tpt store to now also include links to interactive digital versions. This way, you will have access to both the printable and digital versions, depending on whether we are back to school full-time, distance learning again or on a blended learning schedule.

It's been a lot of work, but I feel really good about these updates. It means that you can continue to use my algebra activities if we're remote or even if you'd just rather save paper. All of the updates I've made are to existing printable resources. Each file includes the original printable activity and now also a link to its digital version. If you already own any of the activities, you can get the new digital links for free by re-downloading. 
These updates were something I should have done ages ago, and it feels right to finally be making them happen. As of today, I have updated over 100 math activities with GOOGLE links! That number is mind-boggling to me and is still growing. I will be continuing the updates until they are done.  
If you have my Algebra Activities Bundle and have not re-downloaded in a while, you'll find that most of the activities in it now have been updated with GOOGLE links. So please re-download! I am excited to get these to you. And more to come!

Above is one of the digital activities now in the bundle. It's a solving equations mix-match activity where students build 25 equations to solve. This was a very old algebra activity in my store, so it felt extra good to update it with a digital version. 

This activity here is a linear equations puzzle, now also in GOOGLE Slides. Students match 3 puzzles on each slide. This way students do not have to copy and paste from one slide to another. This is a photo of the paper version also in the file so that you can choose which to give to students:

Each algebra activity I've updated has been calling for a unique format and it's been a fun challenge figuring out the best way to add the versions.

This Domain and Range sorting activity spans 5 slides so that it is chunked into manageable pieces. This format make the activity more accessible for students working independently on the computer.  

Back in the classroom, students can collaborate in groups to discuss and complete the activity on paper. Both the paper and digital versions are in the same file so that you can choose which to give to your students and have access to both forms.

Above is the new interactive digital version of this Slope Sorting Activity. While I was in the file, I also updated the printable version. I have done this for all of the math activities I have updated (over 100 so far!). I polished up the printable versions while adding the links to the interactive digital versions.

Some of the algebra activities aren't the most straightforward to update with digital versions. In Algebra 2 we'd do a lot of hand-graphing, which doesn't translate all that well to GOOGLE. So I turned it into a matching activity for the digital version.

To update this graphing exponential functions activity, I made the GOOGLE Slides version a matching activity. The paper version (below) is a graphing activity where students graph the functions by hand and fill in the parent and shifted tables. This activity is in both my Algebra and Algebra 2 activity bundles.

It has been important to me to update the original printable files with links to the new digital algebra activities so that you have access to both. This will he be helpful for remote learning, for make-up work when a student is absent, for saving paper, for blended math classrooms, flipped classrooms and for students who need printed form. 

More posts:
Interactive Digital Math Activities

Remote Teaching Algebra Resources

Blended Learning Math Activity Bundles (printable + digital)

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

See all blended math activities (printable + digital) here

 

Visual Math YouTube Playlist

Over the last few months I've been building a visual math playlist on my YouTube channel with videos on multiplying and dividing fractions, working with integers, algebra tiles, solving equations and more. 

Moving Math Forward: Virtual Middle School Math Conference

UPDATE: If you missed the conference, you can still learn a little about algebra tiles in the algebra tile posts I have written on my blog.

Also, if you'd be interested in a training on algebra tiles, please either leave a comment or send me an email. I've been thinking about something... :)

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I am so incredibly excited to be presenting at the Moving Math Forward conference this summer. 

My session "Using Algebra Tiles in Middle School Math" will cover integers (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing), solving equations, simplifying expressions, multiplying polynomials and factoring quadratics. My daughter will make an appearance to help with a prime vs. composite numbers investigation using tiles. I also recorded a short section on how to turn the paper algebra tiles from the resources file into durable tiles that will last for years.

How it works:

Our sessions are pre-recorded so that we can close-caption and edit our videos to jam pack them with information. A resource file will also be shared. 

In my section of the resource file will be a set of printable algebra tiles and all of the algebra tile mats I use throughout the video. These mats can be given to students in page protectors to use at their desks or you can use the mats to teach either remotely from home or under a document camera back at school.

We will each be holding a live Q&A session in the Moving Math Forward Facebook group. This link will be sent to all participants.

If you would like to read about all of the sessions, you can do that here:

MOVING MATH FORWARD CONFERENCE

Can't watch in real-time? Not to worry! The videos will all be available to watch for 3 months after June 22.

Did you miss the MMF conference? Not to worry!

A replay ticket will be available to purchase from June 26 through June 28. You will get access to all the videos, all recordings of the live Q&As and all of the resources that go along with our presentations.



I hope to see you!


-Shana McKay
Scaffolded Math and Science

Scaffolded Math and Science YouTube

Hands-on Even & Odd Number Investigation!

Like people all over the world, I have been grappling with my newfound kindergarten homeschooling position after telling myself for many years that I could never teach another human being how to read. But here we are, reading, writing, learning sight words and doing lots of math. School has been great about sending activities and ideas and I've filled in with things found online and resources I make based on questions that arise. 

I let my daughter take the lead by asking what she'd like to learn (often I get an "I don't know" but sometimes she'll give me something) and build on places where she's had questions. This has been one great benefit of this time in quarantine. Especially as an only child, she is especially missing her peers but this time together as her teacher has allowed us to sort of bond over math. 

In this post I want to share a hands-on investigation into even and odd numbers that we worked on together. 

Multiplying Fractions with Visual Models Video

A few weeks ago I blogged about a few digital fraction multiplication resources for Google. In this post I want to share a multiplying fractions with visual models video. 

I've been building a visual math playlist on my YouTube channel with videos for fraction multiplication and division, solving equations, ways to use algebra tiles, strategies for tackling integers, etc. I have a lot of videos planned to add-- prime numbers, even and odd, more to go along with my free math cheat sheets.... it's been a lot of fun. 

"My Advice to Next Year's Students" end of school activity now on GOOGLE, too

Do you remember being in school and thinking that the older kids were SO much older, taller and knew so much more than you? I grew up with a younger brother so maybe this was more true for me, but I'd always think that older kids knew everything. I'd hang on their words, especially about what to expect in school. And at the same time, older students love mentoring younger students! They love feeling like a teacher and an authority on a subject-- any subject! 

So with this end-of-year activity, I considered these two perspectives. Younger kids are longing for guidance on what to expect in their new classrooms and from their new teachers and older kids are excited to give their best advice.

Teaching Area Model Fraction Multiplication Digitally with GOOGLE

In this post I want to share with you a digital way to teach fraction multiplication with the area model, even from afar! The interactive GOOGLE Slides resource allows you and your students to move and overlap fractions to show fraction multiplication with the area model-- online and in color! And the editable GOOGLE Forms activity lets students revise their work when working through fraction multiplication problems.