The fundamental purpose of the Model Algebra I course is to formalize and extend the mathematics that students learned in the middle grades. This course is comprised of standards selected from the high school conceptual categories, which were written to encompass the scope of content and skills to be addressed throughout grades 9–12 rather than through any single course.
The scope of Model Algebra I is limited to linear, quadratic, and exponential expressions and functions as well as some work with absolute value, step, and functions that are piecewise-defined. Therefore, although a standard may include references to logarithms or trigonometry, those functions are not to be included in coursework for Model Algebra I; they will be addressed later in Model Algebra II.
In Algebra I, instructional time should focus on four critical areas:
- deepen and extend understanding of linear and exponential relationships;
- contrast linear and exponential relationships with each other and engage in methods for analyzing, solving, and using quadratic functions;
- extend the laws of exponents to square and cube roots; and
- apply linear models to data that exhibit a linear trend.
Standards for Mathematical Practice
The 2011 framework introduces Standards for Mathematical Practice. These standards complement the content standards so that students increasingly engage with the subject matter as they grow in mathematical maturity and expertise throughout the elementary, middle, and high school years. These standards are the same at all grades from Prekindergarten to 12th grade.
An explanation of how the standards can be highlighted in High School can be found here.
These eight practices can be clustered into the following categories as shown in the chart below:
Habits of Mind of a Productive Mathematical Thinker:
MP.1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
MP.6: Attend to precision.
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Reasoning and Explaining
MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
MP.3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
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Modeling and Using Tools
MP.4: Model with mathematics.
MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically.
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Seeing Structure and Generalizing
MP.7: Look for and make use of structure.
MP.8: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
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