Patterns

& Relations (Grade 7)

Lesson #4
Grade
Duration of Lesson
Textbook

Solving Equations: Math Story

Grade 7
60 minutes
8.2, 8.3 (Mathpower Seven)

Objective:
- Discuss preservation of equality
- How preservation of equality is vital for solving equations
- Practice solving equations found in word problems (a story)

Aim for Instructor:

- To provide students with multiple ways to come to understand preservation of
equality in mathematics
- Encourage students to find equations from word problems and solve with focus on
preservation of equality

Prior Knowledge Required:

- Differences between expressions and equations
- Methods of working towards solving equations and expressions involving single
variables

Materials:
- Algebra tiles
- SMART Board technology
- Individual white boards for each student

Time



5 minutes

15 minutes

Lesson

Quick Check:
Go through an example of solving an equation. Students will show
their individual answers on a whiteboard.
This is effective for formative assessment to see where students
understanding is located in regards to equations as this is an
essential mathematical topic.

As a class go through examples of preservation of equality with addition,

multiplication, division, and subtraction. Make it clear to students that
any operation you do to one side of the equal sign you must do to the
other. Teacher could mention to students that this is a one-step equation.

Show solution methods in multiple ways including using algebra tiles

with the smart board and demonstrating balance of equality with visuals
such as a scale and weight balance.

Patterns & Relations (Grade 7)

10

2x
Ex.

35 minutes

Give a story to the students that has multiple math problems embedded
throughout:
See page 3

Students go through the story in groups and solve the problems as the
story progresses. The story incorporates fill in the blanks so students
may complete these, as they feel comfortable.
If students finish this math story then they will be encouraged to write
their own similar math word problems.

Meeting Needs of Diverse Learners:
Students Who Finish Early: Try writing your own unique math story or word
problems to share.
Students Who Appear To Be Struggling: Encourage students to determine
(highlight) where each expression is located in the story and work towards
breaking it down into number sentences and then solving first for what makes
most sense for the student.


Assessment:
Summative Assessment: Each group will hand in their copy of the story when
finished.


Conclusion:
This lesson solidifies an understanding of preservation of equality, expressions
differing from equations, as well as solving for single variable algebraic equations
in multiple contexts (including word problems)


Patterns & Relations (Grade 7)

Jeff's Sad Birthday

Jeff is having a birthday party. He has just taken a beautiful chocolate cake out of the
oven. Jeff is inviting 6 people to his birthday party (including himself) and has decided to
cut the cake so each person receives 2 pieces of cake. Jeff needs to cut the cake into __ pieces.

After cutting the cake, he then gets into his car and drives 30km to the nearest Co-
op. Jeff knows he took 15 minutes to get to the Co-op and determines he traveled at ____km
per minute. Jeff arrives at the Co-op and finds bottles of soda cost $3 and bags of chips cost
$5. Jeff buys 4 bottles of soda, meaning he has spent ____dollars. He spent 25$ on chips,
meaning he bought __ bags of chips. Total, Jeff has spent ___dollars.

Jeff leaves the co-op and walks to the dollar store to buy balloons and streamers. He
spends $18 on 6 packages of streamers, meaning each had a cost of $__. He also spends $14
on 7 balloons meaning they each had a cost of $__. Jeff walks back into the parking lot to
discover his car has been stolen. Now he needs to call a taxi, which will cost $5 in addition to
$2 per km driven (recall: Jeff is 30km from home). It costs Jeff $__ to get home by taxi. Half of
Jeff's guests dont show up meaning only __ people are at the party, When the guests leave,
Jeff still has __ pieces of chocolate cake left. Jeff eats all of these pieces and watches Netflix
until he falls asleep.