Sallie Foster

Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Algebra I
Standards:
A.2 The student will perform operations on polynomials, including
a) applying the laws of exponents to perform operations on expressions;
b) adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing polynomials
Objectives:
Introduce the idea of adding and subtracting polynomials.
Review the distribution of a negative.
Students will understand the laws of exponents as they pertain to addition and
subtraction.
Students will be able to calculate the perimeter given shapes and their side lengths
in terms of polynomials.
Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to revisit the idea of like terms and learn how we deal
with them when adding and subtracting polynomials. The concepts from this lesson
will be important to students understanding and success when multiplying
binomials using FOIL next class.
Lesson Timeline:

Review and check last nights homework (Dividing a polynomial by a

monomial WS, odds) (20 minutes)
o Answer any questions students have and have students attempt a
couple even problems and do those as a class
Adding & Subtracting Polynomials Flipchart: (40 minutes)
o Through ActivInspire the flipchart will be projected onto the
Promethean Board.
o Start with the definition of like terms same exact variables raised to
identical powers

Ee MANDS

Review

Several examples, start basic, then incorporate distributing a

negative before combining the like terms.
Demonstrate how adding and subtracting polynomials can be
used in calculating perimeter (10 minutes)
Be sure to review perimeter formula, talk about it in
context.

as they pertain to adding (N for nothing)

Model the addition and subtraction of polynomials using algebra

tiles (10 minutes)
Students will go from algebra tiles to a polynomial
expression and vice versa
Adding & Subtracting Polynomials Battleship Game: (25 minutes)
o http://www.quia.com/ba/28820.html
o Project the game on the Promethean Board and go over the basics of
how to play it and different situations that may occur while students
are getting out their laptops and navigating to the games website
o Students are expected to be doing scratch work and make it through at
least six problems in the game
o The scratch work MUST be turned in at the end of class and the
thoroughness and effort into the work will determine the students
daily classwork grade
Hand out tonights homework: Adding & Subtracting Polynomials WS, odd
problems only