For math students there are three levels of knowing to be considered:  How, What, Why.  How is procedural ability, they can follow steps.  What is the understanding of the How, an explanation of the steps.  Why is the understanding of the conceptual consequences from which procedure is derived. 

There are practically a limitless number of Hows in math.  Students that struggle the most focus on How and are continually confusing or forgetting steps.  Here we focus on Why, balancing the How and What to develop a well-balanced and prepared student.  Read more about the design and approach behind the materials you will find on this site in the Teaching Philosophy tab below.

Algebra 1 IS the cornerstone mathematics course.  As such it deserves careful consideration by teachers, students, parents and administration.  The conceptual understanding developed in this course needs to support the acquisition of mathematical literacy.  A student that possess both conceptual understanding and mathematical literacy will thrive as they move forward through other math and science subjects.

The materials you will find here are not designed to help students arrive at easy solutions by tricks.  Instead, the materials are designed to develop procedural fluency as a consequence of conceptual understanding and literacy.  The end result is that students will have a practical balance between conceptual understanding, mathematical literacy, and procedural proficiency.

This curriculum is broken down into six units: Number Unit, Foundations of Algebra, Functions, Linear Equations, Polynomials, and Quadratic Equations.  

Each of the units has multiple chapters, which can be navigated on the unit page.  Refer to the scope and sequence to help you pace the course.