Solving Equations Algebra Tiles

The best work I’ve ever done has all been a result of cooperation and collaboration. If you aren’t familiar with the term Adjacent Possible it’s the idea that good ideas don’t just appear; they grow. I hadn’t heard of adjacent possible until Jake Miller talked about it during one of his soap box segments on his podcast, Educational Duct Tape. I had an adjacent possible moment when I saw this awesome post from the Scaffolded Math and Science blog. Besides being my friend, Shana is a dedicated educator who works tirelessly to provide teachers with amazing resources that will engage students. That’s what we’re all about here at engagEDucate!

In her post, Shana shares an active learning activity in which students can reuse paper tiles to solve algebraic equations, giving students a visual and tactile experience in the process!

Check out Scaffolded Math and Science’s post here!

Once I read about this activity and saw the examples, my wheels started turning! I thought about a way students could also practice solving equations digitally, on classroom devices. I created a template that honors the original structure but also gives teachers a chance to modify the assignment and track student progress over time! To use the Solving Equations Algebra Template:

1. Make your own copy here!
2. Duplicate the first slide to create one for each equation students will solve.
3. Share the slide deck with students via Google Classroom (“Make a Copy for Each Student”) or by clicking the yellow “Share” button and share as “View Only” (this way, each student will have their own copy to solve!)

Read more about the ways Scaffolded Math and Science suggests using algebra tiles in math class here!