Grade 6 Math: Algebra and Coding unit
Students explore patterns and show them in tables, graphs and equations, add like terms, evaluate expressions with decimals, solve equations and inequalities, and read and write code with variables, decisions and loops. They finish by using the modelling cycle on a class pizza party and a craft fair bracelet booth, building and testing their own model.
What's included
- Unit overviewBig ideas, expectations by code, learning goals and success criteria
- Day-by-day calendar18 days planned, including catch-up and review days
- 12 three-part lessonsMinds On, Action and Consolidation, with timings, questions to ask and common mistakes
- Lesson slidesA ready-to-project deck for every lesson: goals, worked examples, discussion questions and exit tickets, with your lesson steps in the speaker notes
- Student worksheets with answer keys134 questions in all, every numeric answer checked by software
- Diagnostic and quick checksA Day 1 diagnostic and 3 quick checks to adjust your teaching
- Performance task and rubric“Performance task: The Craft Fair Bracelet Booth”, with a rubric across all four achievement chart categories
- Unit test and answer key42 marks, sorted by achievement chart category
- AccommodationsSupports for students with IEPs, English language learners, and extensions
Look inside
These are real pages from the unit.
Day-by-day calendar
| Day | Lesson or assessment | Expectations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic and unit launch | |
| 2 | Lesson 1: Repeating, growing and shrinking patterns | C1.1 |
| 3 | Lesson 2: Showing a linear pattern in many ways | C1.2 |
| 4 | Lesson 3: Pattern rules, predictions and unknown values | C1.3 |
| 5 | Lesson 4: Patterns with whole numbers and decimals (Quick check 1) | C1.4 |
| 6 | Lesson 5: Adding monomials with algebra tiles | C2.1 |
| 7 | Lesson 6: Evaluating expressions and formulas | C2.2 |
| 8 | Lesson 7: Solving equations with a reverse flow chart | C2.3 |
| 9 | Lesson 8: Equations with several terms and formulas | C2.3, C2.1 |
| 10 | Lesson 9: Solving and graphing inequalities (Quick check 2) | C2.4 |
| 11 | Lesson 10: Flow charts, input and conditional statements | C3.1 |
| 12 | Lesson 11: Loops: reading, altering and improving code (Quick check 3) | C3.2, C3.1 |
| 13 | Lesson 12: The modelling cycle: planning a class pizza party | C4, C2.3, C3.1 |
| 14 | Catch-up and conferencing day (reteach from quick checks) | All |
| 15 | Performance task: The Craft Fair Bracelet Booth (part 1) | C4, C1.2, C2.2 |
| 16 | Performance task: The Craft Fair Bracelet Booth (part 2) | C4, C2.3, C2.4, C3.2 |
| 17 | Review: stations and practice test | All |
| 18 | Unit test | All |
Lesson 1: Repeating, growing and shrinking patterns
Learning goal: We are learning to sort patterns into repeating, growing and shrinking, and to tell which growing patterns are linear.
Success criteria:
- I can name a pattern as repeating, growing or shrinking.
- I can find the core of a repeating pattern.
- I can tell whether a growing pattern is linear by checking the change from term to term.
Minds On (10 min)
- Show the shape pattern triangle, circle, circle, triangle, circle, circle. Ask: "What will the 10th shape be, and how do you know without drawing all ten?"
- Collect ideas: students notice the core of three shapes keeps repeating.
Action (35 min)
- Sort pattern cards into three piles: repeating, growing, shrinking. Name the core of each repeating pattern.
- Build tile figures 1 to 4 of a growing pattern. Record the number of tiles in each figure and the change from one figure to the next.
- Introduce "linear": the change is the same every time. Test 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 5, 9, 13, 17.
- Students complete the worksheet.
Consolidation (15 min)
- Discuss question 4: why is 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 growing but not linear?
- Exit: "Is the pattern 3, 6, 12, 24 linear? Give a reason."
Worksheet 1: Repeating, growing and shrinking
Show your work. Use the word linear only when the change is the same each time.
- The pattern is: triangle, circle, circle, triangle, circle, circle, and so on. What is the 17th shape?
- Look at 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25. Is it repeating, growing or shrinking? Is it linear?
- Look at 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. Is it growing or shrinking? Is it linear?
- Look at 50, 44, 38, 32, 26, 20. Is it repeating, growing or shrinking? Is it linear?
- The picture shows figures 1 to 4 of a pattern. How many squares will Figure 6 have?
- A plant is 4 cm tall and grows 3 cm every week (made-up numbers). How tall is it after 6 weeks?
- A water tank holds 120 L and uses 8 L each day (made-up numbers). How many litres are left after 9 days?
- Sam says 3, 7, 12, 18 is a linear growing pattern. Is he right? Explain.
Answer keys with worked steps are in the Teacher Guide.
Performance task: Performance task: The Craft Fair Bracelet Booth
Mina wants to sell bracelets at a craft fair (all numbers are made-up). The booth costs $20. She also buys 4 table decorations at $2.50 each. Each bracelet costs $2 to make and she sells it for $5. Use the modelling cycle to help Mina decide how many bracelets to make.
| Category | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and Understanding | Shows limited understanding of patterns, equations or code; many errors. | Shows some understanding; some errors in tables, equations or tracing. | Shows clear understanding of the linear model, equation solving and code, with minor errors. | Shows thorough understanding, including inequalities and altering code accurately. |
| Thinking | Plans and tests the model with limited effectiveness. | Plans and tests the model with some effectiveness. | Plans, tests and improves the model effectively. | Plans, tests and improves the model with insight, explaining how assumptions change the answer. |
| Communication | Presents the table, graph and equation with limited clarity. | Presents the table, graph and equation with some clarity. | Presents the table, graph, equation and report clearly. | Presents all parts clearly, precisely and in a convincing report. |
| Application | Uses the model to answer few of the questions. | Uses the model to answer some questions. | Uses the model to make and justify decisions. | Uses the model to make and justify decisions and anticipates problems with it. |
Lessons in this unit
- Repeating, growing and shrinking patternsLearning to sort patterns into repeating, growing and shrinking, and to tell which growing patterns are linear.C1.1
- Showing a linear pattern in many waysLearning to show the same linear pattern with a table, a graph and an expression or equation.C1.2
- Pattern rules, predictions and unknown valuesLearning to use a pattern rule to extend a pattern, predict far ahead, fill in missing terms and work backward to find an unknown.C1.3
- Patterns with whole numbers and decimalsLearning to create and describe number patterns that show how whole numbers and decimals are related.C1.4
- Adding monomials with algebra tilesLearning to add terms that have the same variable and to explain why unlike terms cannot be combined.C2.1
- Evaluating expressions and formulasLearning to replace variables with numbers, including decimal tenths, and calculate in the right order.C2.2
- Solving equations with a reverse flow chartLearning to solve equations with two steps by undoing operations in reverse order, and to check our answers.C2.3
- Equations with several terms and formulasLearning to combine like terms before solving, and to solve for an unknown in a formula.C2.3, C2.1
- Solving and graphing inequalitiesLearning to solve inequalities with two operations, check solutions and show them on a number line.C2.4
- Flow charts, input and conditional statementsLearning to plan a program with a flow chart and to write code that uses input, variables and if/else decisions.C3.1
- Loops: reading, altering and improving codeLearning to read code that has loops and decisions, change it to get a new result, and explain how the change affects the output and the efficiency.C3.2, C3.1
- The modelling cycle: planning a class pizza partyLearning to use the modelling cycle: understand a real problem, build a model, test it, and improve it.C2.3, C3.1
Ontario curriculum expectations covered
- C1.1
- Sort patterns as repeating, growing or shrinking, including real-life ones, and tell which growing patterns are linear.
- C1.2
- Show repeating, growing and shrinking patterns in tables, graphs and, for linear growth, expressions and equations.
- C1.3
- Find pattern rules, extend patterns, predict and justify, find missing terms and use an equation to find unknown values.
- C1.4
- Make and describe number patterns that show how whole numbers and decimals are related.
- C2.1
- Add terms with one variable and whole-number coefficients, using tools such as tiles.
- C2.2
- Find the value of expressions and formulas by substituting whole numbers and decimal tenths.
- C2.3
- Solve equations with several terms and whole numbers in many settings, and check each solution.
- C2.4
- Solve two-step inequalities with whole numbers to 100, test the solutions and graph them on a number line.
- C3.1
- Solve problems by writing and running efficient code with decisions and loops, planned with flow charts.
- C3.2
- Read code and change it, and explain how the changes affect the results and the efficiency.
- C4
- Use the modelling cycle to represent a real situation, test the model, make predictions and improve the model.
Questions about this unit
How long is this unit?
18 school days: 12 lessons plus a diagnostic, a catch-up day, a two-day performance task, a review day and the unit test.
Which expectations does it cover?
C1.1, C1.2, C1.3, C1.4, C2.1, C2.2, C2.3, C2.4, C3.1, C3.2 from Mathematics (2020), Strand C: Algebra.
What format are the files?
Each unit comes as a Teacher Guide and Student Pages, both as editable Word files and print-ready PDFs, plus a PowerPoint deck of lesson slides. The Word files open in Google Docs and the slides open in Google Slides, so you can change anything.
Can I share it with my colleagues?
A single licence is for one teacher's classes. For a grade team, the team licence covers up to 5 teachers at one school for $49.99.
What if it isn't right for my class?
Email help@unitplans.ca within 7 days of buying for a full refund.