Algebra in Elementary School

Bicky Nguyen
Saint Norbert Faculty
April 26,2020
Project Objective
Developing algebraic math curriculum for students in elementary grade level
to prepare them for Algebra and higher levels of math.

Focus: Prepare elementary teachers to

be familiar with lessons that they
currently teach and connect it to
algebraic/arithmetic methods. Many
elementary teachers and students do
not see the hidden algebra methods
used in the math lessons.
CA Content Standards
Common Core State Standards - Mathematics Grades 2- 5

● Operations & Algebraic thinking

○ Solving equations involving adding/subtraction &
multiplication/division
● Number and Operations - Fractions
○ Understanding fractions as a division problem
● Measurements and Data
○ Solving problems involving measurement
conversions
ISTE Standards

● Learner: teachers are learning new

math methods
● Collaborator: teachers working together
to improve teaching methods
● Leader: finding different opportunities
to improve student learning
NBPTS Standards
Proposition #1:

● Committed to student learning.

Proposition #2:

● Knows the subject well and how to

teach it.

Proposition #5:

● Member of a learning community.

Benefits of Algebra in Elementary school
Elementary Level High school level Future Careers

● Builds a solid ● Better prepared for ● Abstract reasoning

algebraic math higher level math skills
foundation courses ● Problem solving
● Understanding math ● Higher achievements skills
language in calculus, ● Logical thinkers
● Allows students to trigonometry, and ● Higher education
think outside of the logarithm
box and be engaged ● Higher SAT scores
Understanding Algebra
● Teachers from grades 2nd to
5th at Saint Norbert Catholic
School.
● Students in grade levels 2nd
to 5th at Saint Norbert
Catholic School.
Methods of teaching math
Normal math method Algebraic method
● Adding and subtracting to equal ● Showing that math is like a balance
something beam, as long as both sides are equal
● Recognizing that it should equal to one then it is an equation
solution ○ Ex: 2 +3 = 6-1
○ Ex: 2+3 = 5 ● Introducing variables earlier on instead
● Using properties to define math of using blanks
methods ○ 5+2 = 3 + b
● Explaining math methods by using
properties
Proposed Grade levels
● Working to show that each side of the equal sign are
equal groups to build for understanding of
Grade 2 multiplication
○ 20 + __ = 15+9 → 20 + a = 15 +9

● Building the idea of the equal sign represents a

balance beam. Introducing multiplication using
Grade 3 variables
○ 5 x 3 = 5 +5 +5 → 5 x a = 5 +5+ 5
Proposed Grade Level
● Understanding patterns and developing a rule that is
written as an equation.
Grade 4 ○ 2, 4, 6, 8, 10… the pattern is to multiply each term by 2
so the rule would be 2x where x represents the term.
● Changing addition patterns to multiplication
○ 5+5+5+5+5 +5 = 5 x 6

● Interpreting and simplifying numerical expressions

with variables using PEMDAS
○ 4x + 5x → 9x where x is the unknown number
Grade 5 ○ (3y +6y) - (5y - 2y) → (9y) - (3y) → 6y
● Understanding prime factorization
○ 72 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3x 3 and vice versa
Three Big Ideas of Algebra
● Variables
○ Using letters to represent unknown values
Ex: car + car = $4 and car + bear = $6
x+x=4 x represents car
2x = 4
x = 2 → each car is $2 so you can now figure out how much the bear cost
● Patterns and Functions
○ Understanding the pattern and coming up with an equation for the rule
Ex: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 → the pattern is x + 1 where x is the term
y = x + 1 will be the equation or rule.
● Proportions and Reasoning
○ Understanding proportions must equal when reduced to lowest terms.
Ex: 200 ones is equal to 2 hundreds, (2 x 100), then 400 ones will equal what?
200 = 400 for this proportion to be true x must equal 4
2 x
Timeline
2019-2020
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

Introduce project to teachers Implement algebraic methods

and start their training. within the classroom .

Assessing students’ understanding along the way

2020-2021 Advancd projects

Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

Continue to implement algebraic methods within the classroom .

Assessing students’ understanding along the way.

Activity
Teachers will be paired up 2nd with 3rd and 4th with 5th. Each group will be given
normal math problems and you will need to work together to change how it needs to
be taught to embed algebraic concepts.

2nd & 3rd Grade Math Problems 4th & 5th Grade Math Problems

1. 24 + 42 = 66 1. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 the pattern is adding 3

2. If 12 inches equals 1 foot, then how many
2. __ - 9 = 37 feet is 72 inches?
3. 8 + 8 + 8 + 8 =32 3. Popcorn + popcorn + popcorn = $15 then
find the cost of the at movie ticket if
4. 4 x 7 = 28 Popcorn + ticket = $17
4. 9 x 9 x9 = 27
Resources
https://www.quora.com/Why-teach-maths-in-primary-school

http://mathandreadinghelp.org/elementary_school_algebra.html

https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/why-algebra/

https://demmelearning.com/learning-blog/why-we-learn-algebra/

http://thinkmath.edc.org/resource/early-algebra-little-kids

https://qrc.depaul.edu/algebrainitiative/Articles/Algebra_Elementary_Article_Carole_Greene.pdf

https://pact.tarleton.edu/tcert/Content/Documents/Patterns%20and%20Algebra.pdf