ALEX Learning Activity

  

Dice, Dice Baby!

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: DeLaura Downs
System:Jefferson County
School:Jefferson County Board Of Education
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2246
Title:
Dice, Dice Baby!
Digital Tool/Resource:
Dice, Dice Baby!
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

Students will work in pairs and roll various colored dice in order to create polynomial expressions for addition and/or subtraction.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Mathematics
MA2015 (2016)
Grade: 9-12
Algebra II
15 ) Understand that polynomials form a system analogous to the integers; namely, they are closed under the operations of addition, subtraction, and multiplication; add, subtract, and multiply polynomials. [A-APR1]
Mathematics
MA2019 (2019)
Grade: 9-12
Algebra I with Probability
7. Add, subtract, and multiply polynomials, showing that polynomials form a system analogous to the integers, namely, they are closed under the operations of addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
Unpacked Content
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • Use the repeated reasoning from prior knowledge of properties of arithmetic on integers to progress consistently to rules for arithmetic on polynomials.
  • Accurately perform combinations of operations on various polynomials.
Teacher Vocabulary:
  • Polynomials
  • Closure
  • Analogous system
Knowledge:
Students know:
  • Corresponding rules of arithmetic of integers, specifically what it means for the integers to be closed under addition, subtraction, and multiplication, and not under division.
  • Procedures for performing addition, subtraction, and multiplication on polynomials.
Skills:
Students are able to:
  • Communicate the connection between the rules for arithmetic on integers and the corresponding rules for arithmetic on polynomials.
  • Accurately perform combinations of operations on various polynomials.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • There is an operational connection between the arithmetic on integers and the arithmetic on polynomials.
Diverse Learning Needs:
Essential Skills:
Learning Objectives:
ALGI.7.1: Combine like terms of a given expression
ALGI.7.2: Define monomial, term, binomial, trinomial and polynomial.
ALGI.7.3: Multiply polynomial expressions (quadratic).
ALGI.7.4: Multiply polynomial expressions (linear).
ALGI.7.5: Subtract polynomial expressions.
ALGI.7.6: Add polynomial expressions.
ALGI.7.7: Use order of operations to evaluate and simplify algebraic and numerical expressions.
ALGI.7.8: Identify the terms in a polynomial expressions.
ALGI.7.9: Explain the distributive property.

Prior Knowledge Skills:
  • Identify properties of exponents.
  • Give examples of the properties of operations including distributive, commutative, and associative.
  • Recall how to find the greatest common factor.
  • Combine like terms of a given expression.
  • Recognize the property demonstrated in a given expression.
  • Simplify expressions with parentheses (Ex. 5(4 + x) = 20 + 5x).
  • Simplify an expression by dividing by the greatest common factor (Ex. 18x + 6y= 6(3x + y).
  • Define linear expression, rational, coefficient, and rational coefficient.
  • Combine terms that are alike of a given expression.
Learning Objectives:

I can add polynomial expressions.

I can subtract polynomial expressions.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

The student will be able to add and subtract polynomials by incorporating the activity Dice, Dice Baby!  After introducing the concept of adding and subtracting polynomials, this activity can be used for the collaborative practice of the concept.  In pairs, students will take turns rolling a set of dice that will determine positive (green dice) or negative (red) coefficients, as well as exponents that will determine the degree of the monomials based on the face value of each die.  Operation dice will also be used to determine whether or not the polynomial expressions will be added or subtracted.  Once the expressions are determined, students will then perform the specified operation and form a new polynomial expression that is either the sum or the difference of the two expressions generated from the dice.  The teacher will allow pairs to work on creating polynomial expressions and then solving them for about 30 minutes.  At the end of this time, pairs will switch papers with another pair of students and perform error analysis.
Assessment Strategies:

Students will work in pairs and collaborate/peer edit as they create and add and subtract polynomials.

The teacher will monitor student work as pairs are working to watch for misconceptions.
Advanced Preparation:

You will need two different colors of dice, as well as. dice with the operations of addition/subtraction on them (or positive/negative).  I use plastic cups for the kids to roll the dice in.

You can print out copies of the recording sheet or display recording sheet on a projector and have students create their own on loose leaf paper.
Variation Tips (optional):

Three colors of dice could be used to represent coefficients with the third color.

Operations could be limited to just addition or subtraction until an understanding of like terms is fully developed.

The activity could be adapted to include multiplication and division of polynomials.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

I use this activity as independent practice for adding and subtracting polynomials.
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: expressions, operations, polynomial