Running Log of Algebra Ideas

[schanzer]

• [ ] Design recipe convo - when we give one structure in our classroom we usually give another. Get clearer about what challenge kids are having that our stuff resolves
• [ ] More about how big of a team it takes to make video games -- https://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/inside/how/01.html -- https://www.pbs.org/video/in-wisconsin-raven-software/

[er1c456]

From my experience as an Algebra teacher using Bootstrap trying to convince other teachers, combined with low implementation and engagement rates of Algebra training participants:

The Algebra curriculum is now very filled in and everything that has been added is necessary to build a solid foundation for programming by design at the Algebra level. Progressing through our Algebra material is now a full year course.

We advertise a modular, integrate-into-existing-courses experience, but we're actually a house of cards. As we have filled in the Algebra materials, there is no room to teach standardize Algebra unless you leave something out. Yet, it isn't clear what can be taken out without the house falling down.

Integration must be much more front and center and a cornerstone of each lesson and the standard Algebra context needs to be super transparent.

Some examples:

• explicitly connect design recipe examples to tables of values,
• use circles of evaluation to handle combining like terms and polynomial factoring and manipulation,
• word problems should come from or look similar to existing algebra word problems, not just design recipe giveaways,
• function word problems in Algebra are assessed the result of a specific function application (we currently stop at producing the function, but actually need to go farther to produce specific examples that answer questions).