Topic: Equation solving---Cooperative groups, observations, and journals

Grade Level Category: 7 - 12

Strategies: Observations and journals

Objectives Being Assessed and/or Purposes for the Assessment:
    1.) Understanding concepts of equation solving
    2.) Use of appropriate strategy in equation solving
    3.) Cooperation in group activity
Materials Required:
    1.) Large sheet of paper per group
    2.) List of equations to solve
    3.) Observation sheet
    4.) Journals
Description of the Activity:
Students will be given a list of approximately eight equations to solve that increase in difficulty. The last equation could be a challenge problem that introduces a new concept such as empty set or an identity.

On a sheet of paper the first student writes the equation and performs the first step. The next student checks the previous student's work and then performs the next step. If a student discovers an error, he returns the paper to the previous student for correction. This continues until the problem has been solved. Each student must take a turn in starting a problem so that each person is performing different operations on the various assigned equations.

It is helpful if students have the correct answers available to at least the first five problems so that their confidence in their mathematical power is reinforced, and they have a better idea as to whether they are completing their work successfully. Not all groups will complete the entire set of equations but every group should complete at least five problems in this manner with each student doing the first step on at least one problem.

These papers can then be collected and assessed by the teacher. The following day different approaches to the same problem could be placed on the board by students from different groups. While students are working on their problems, the teacher could use an observation checklist to assess how well the students are working in their groups and if they are demonstrating understanding of the material.

So that the teacher can assess the effectiveness of this procedure, this project would then be followed with a journal entry in which students are asked to answer these questions using complete sentences:

    Was the group approach helpful?
    Did you enjoy the group work?
    Do you have any suggestions to improve classwork on this section?

Reproducible Pages:
Equations
Observation Checklist and Rubric for Journal

Extension:
After this material is mastered, this activity could also be used for drill work as review for a test.

Management Tips:
I found it helpful to supply each group with a large sheet of paper. Groups of four would be preferred; however, groups of five were manageable. Supplying the students with the answers to the problems was helpful for most; however, I did find an occasional group would "magically" come out with the correct answer after making an error that should have prevented that. For this reason the teacher will want to look through the student's work carefully if answers are provided.

Reference of Source:
Algebra, Structure and Method, Book 1, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1990, page 118.



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