21st Century Lessons

Evaluating Expression
Primary Lesson Designers:
Kristie Conners
Sean Moran

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 This project is funded by the
American Federation of Teachers.

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21st Century Lessons – Teacher Preparation

Please do the following as you prepare to deliver this lesson:

• Spend AT LEAST 30 minutes studying the
Lesson Overview, Teacher Notes on each
slide, and accompanying worksheets.
• Set up your projector and test this PowerPoint file to make
sure all animations, media, etc. work properly.
• Feel free to customize this file to match the language and
routines in your classroom.

*1st Time Users of 21st Century Lesson:

Click HERE for a detailed description of our project.

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Lesson Overview (1 of 3)

Lesson Objective Content Objective: Students will be able to evaluate algebraic

expressions.

Language Objective: Students will be able to describe the

steps to evaluating expressions.

Lesson Description This lesson is designed to be implemented following the

previous lessons in this unit. This lesson demonstrates how
to evaluate algebraic expressions. The focus shows a process
of substituting in numbers into any algebraic expressions and
using the order of operations to evaluate the expressions;
strategies which were highlighted in the previous lessons and
used in this lesson.

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Lesson Overview (2 of 3)
Lesson Vocabulary Substitution: Replace a variable with number.
Evaluate: To calculate the value of a numerical or algebraic expression..

Materials Pencil, notebook, copies of the class work assignment, homework and exit slip. Index cards*,
number cubes of different colors*. (Alternate suggestions given if do not have these supplies)

Scaffolding This lesson models and scaffolds evaluating expressions. There is time in the lesson for
students to copy the process into their notebook. Throughout the lesson, substitution is
demonstrated with colors for visual learners. Also, the video links below is a great tool to use
for your students, especially ELL students.

Enrichment There are several opportunities for enrichment. During the activity, Can’t Wait To Evaluate, the
teacher can create their own spinner. This will allow your students to use integers and rational
numbers to make the activity more challenging. If your students are proficient with rational
numbers , a second Can’t Wait To Evaluate activity is provided for additional challenge.

Online Resources for Practice

http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-6/evaluate-variable-expressions-with-whole-numbers
Absent Students http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-6/evaluate-variable-expressions-involving-decimals-
fractions-and-mixed-numbers
http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-6/evaluate-multi-variable-expressions
http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-6/evaluate-expressions-involving-integers (enrichment)

Videos
http://learnzillion.com/lessons/468-evaluate-onestep-algebraic-expressions-by-substitution
(one step)
http://learnzillion.com/lessons/469-evaluate-multiple-step-algebraic-expressions-by-
substitution (multi-step)

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Lesson Overview (3 of 3)
Common Core 6.EE.2 Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for
State Standard numbers.

6.EE.2c Evaluate expressions at specific values of their variables. Include

expressions that arise from formulas used in real-world problems. Perform
arithmetic operations, including those involving whole-number exponents, in
the conventional order when there are no parentheses to specify a particular
order (Order of Operations). For example, use the formulas V = s3 and A = 6s2
to find the volume and surface area of a cube with sides of length s = ½ .

Before and After This lesson is the fifth lesson in the unit. This lesson should be
presented following the previous lessons. This lesson will
continue to build off of the lessons in this unit and understand the
process in evaluating algebraic expressions by substitution.

Topic Background The link below gives a small background on the history of Algebra.
This is also a great opportunity to connect topics covered in social
studies with mathematics.
http://www.ehow.com/video_4977241_who-invented-
algebra.html

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Warm Up
OBJECTIVE: SWBAT evaluate algebraic expressions.
Language Objective: SWBAT describe the steps to evaluating expressions.

A magic store is selling exploding pens for

$3 each plus $1 for tax.
Kyle thinks you can figure out the cost of 10
pens with the below.
3 10 1
Do you agree or disagree?
Explain.
Click to reveal next part

Agenda
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 Agenda:
OBJECTIVE: SWBAT evaluate algebraic expressions.
Language Objective: SWBAT describe the steps to evaluating expressions.

1) Warm Up Individual
2) Launch Shopping with Marvin- Whole Class/Pairs
3) Explore- 1 Evaluating with Marvin- Whole Class
4) Explore- 2 Practice with Formulas- Whole Class
5) Practice Class work: Can’t Wait to Evaluate – Groups
6) Assessment Exit Slip- Individual

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Launch- Shopping with Marvin
Marvin the Math Magician has a problem for you.
He wants to buy some magic wands
and some magician hats.

The wands cost $8 each and $5

for each hat.
How much will Marvin have to
pay for 12 wands and 7 hats?

Agenda
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 Launch- Shopping with Marvin
How did you get your answer?

The wands cost $8 each and $5 for each hat.

How much will Marvin have to pay for 12 wands and 7 hats?

How can we write a

to show our answer of 131?

8 12  5 7
Click to reveal next part

Agenda
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 Explore 1- Evaluating with Marvin
How much will Marvin have to pay
for 6 wands and 3 hats?
Write an numerical expression to
find the answer.
Remember: the wands cost $8 each and $5 for each hat.

8 6  5 3
48 15
63 Click to reveal next part

Agenda
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 Explore 1- Evaluating with Marvin
The wands cost $8
each and $5 for each

812 5 7 12 wands

7 hats
hat.

8 6 5 3 6 wands
3 hats

What changed in the two examples?

Sometimes it helps to represent a problem as
 an
w= # of wands
 h= # of hats
Click to reveal next part

Agenda
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 Explore 1- Evaluating with Marvin
How much will Marvin have to pay
for 10 wands and 2 hats? w = 10 h = 2

8w  5h This is called
w 5 h
810 2 substitution!!
We just
80 10 evaluated the
90 expression.


 
Click to reveal next part

evaluate Agenda
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 Explore 1- Evaluating with Marvin
Find the cost of buying 9 wands and 7 hats.

Steps:
w= 9 8w  5h 1. Copy the expression.
h= 7
9 5 7
8w h 2.in Substitute the value
for the variable.
72 35 3. Evaluate using the
107 order of operations.
 Click to reveal next part

Agenda
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 Explore 2- Formulas
Flashback…
Objective: evaluate algebraic expressions.
We can use the process of evaluating to solve problems in the real
world.
For example: engineers, architects and builders use geometric
formulas every day.
Circumference
C  d

Surface Area
Volume Cylinder

 SA  2r  dh
Rectangular Prism 2

V  lwh Click to reveal next part

Agenda
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 Explore 2- Formulas
Volume is the amount of space a shape takes
up. The expression for calculating the
volume of the rectangular
prism is below. 5ft

lwh or
l w
Find the volume
h
l w h
Steps:
1. Copy the expression.

2. Substitute the value

36 5 in for the variable.

3. Evaluate using the

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180 ft order of operations.
Click to reveal next part

Agenda
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 Explore 2- Formulas
Surface Area is the total of the area of all
sides. The expression for calculating the
surface area of a rectangular
prism is below. 5ft
2lw 2lh 2wh
Find the volume.
2lw  2lh 2wh
Steps:
1. Copy the expression.

2  2  2  2. Substitute the value

72  90  40 in for the variable.

2 3. Evaluate using the

202 ft order of operations.
Click to reveal next part

 
 
  Agenda
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 Practice- Class work
Can’t Wait To Evaluate!
Directions: Each group receives a set of Evaluation Cards along with two different colored
number cubes. Before starting, the team decides which color cube stands for which variable.
(Example: the red cube replaces a, the green cube replaces b.) One person in the group rolls
the number cubes. Students use the numbers to evaluate the expression.
a=____ b=____
a b 3a 2b 2(ab)
ab a b
2 2
3(a  b)
3a 1 2b  5 a  4b
b  ab 
a  a  ab

Agenda
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 Summary
Can’t Wait To Evaluate!
Click each problem for demonstration

a=____ b=____
a b 3a 2b 2(ab)
ab a b
2 2
3(a  b)
3a 1 2b  5 a  4b
b  ab 
a  a  ab

Agenda
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 Exit Slip
Kiara was asked to evaluate the
expression 27  p . Her answer was 14.

Did she substitute 11, 13, or 15?

How do you know?
 Answer : 13
27 – 13
14

Agenda
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 21st Century Lessons
The goal…
The goal of 21st Century Lessons is simple: We want to assist teachers, particularly in
urban and turnaround schools, by bringing together teams of exemplary educators
to develop units of high-quality, model lessons. These lessons are intended to:
•Support an increase in student achievement;
•Engage teachers and students;
•Align to the National Common Core Standards and the Massachusetts curriculum
frameworks;
•Embed best teaching practices, such as differentiated instruction;
•Incorporate high-quality multi-media and design (e.g., PowerPoint);
•Be delivered by exemplary teachers for videotaping to be used for professional
development and other teacher training activities;
•Be available, along with videos and supporting materials, to teachers free of charge via the
Internet.
•Serve as the basis of high-quality, teacher-led professional development, including mentoring
between experienced and novice teachers.

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 21st Century Lessons
The people…
Directors:
Kathy Aldred - Co-Chair of the Boston Teachers Union Professional Issues Committee
Ted Chambers - Co-director of 21st Century Lessons
Tracy Young - Staffing Director of 21st Century Lessons
Leslie Ryan Miller - Director of the Boston Public Schools Office of
Teacher Development and Advancement
Emily Berman- Curriculum Director (Social Studies) of 21st Century Lessons
Carla Zils – Curriculum Director (Math) of 21st Century Lessons
Brian Connor – Technology Coordinator

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