Algebraic thinking in elementary school
This online course will enable participants to learn how to include opportunities in the upper elementary curriculum for children to think about basic algebraic concepts, and to appreciate the importance of algebraic thinking.
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Related topics
- Learn more about algebra, algebraic concepts, online learning, and professional development.
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Course description
Basic algebraic concepts can strengthen upper-elementary students’ problem-solving abilities and overall mathematical comprehension skills. This course will show you several methods designed to develop your students’ algebraic thinking.
In this course you will explore a variety of problems designed to develop students’ algebraic thinking. You’ll learn to help kids rethink what they know about math by investigating student misconceptions, including the concept of the “equals” sign. For the final project, participants will learn how to design and “algebrafy” activities which encourage algebraic thinking that can be immediately integrated into classroom practice.
Course objectives
In this course you will:
- learn how children in grades 3-5 can think about basic algebraic concepts.
- appreciate the importance of algebraic thinking in the upper elementary curriculum.
- become familiar with relevant research on the importance of algebraic thinking in elementary school instruction.
- explore a variety of problems that can be used with students to develop their algebraic thinking.
- understand student misconceptions about the sign “=” and why this is such a pivotal concept in elementary mathematics.
- learn how to design and “algebrafy” activities that encourage algebraic thinking.
- create a collection of activities which promote algebraic thinking that can be integrated into classroom practice.
- promote a “learning-by-doing” methodology, which is applicable to students of all ages.
The final project requires you to create a collection of classroom activities that:
- promotes algebraic thinking.
- consists of at least three activities (one of these activities is based on an idea/misconception that arose in the student interview).
- includes a series of follow-up questions for each activity.
- includes a brief reflection piece for each activity in which the teacher describes what he/she expects to see/accomplish when students do this activity.
Course information
- Syllabus
- You can view full the course syllabus here.
- Duration
- Six weeks
- Credits
- 3.0 CEUs
Standards alignment
North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards (2009)
- Goal 3: Teachers know the content they teach.
- Objective 3.02: Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty.
- Goal 4: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.
- Objective 4.08: Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what each student has learned.
- Goal 5: Teachers reflect on their practice.
- Objective 5.01: Teachers analyze student learning.
- Objective 5.02: Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals.
