Math Routine: Algebraic Thinking Day

I love to integrate algebraic thinking throughout the year, rather than as a separate unit. Over the years, I have come to love a number of materials. Today I'm going to share websites and a new set of task card that I purchased for Algebraic Thinking Thursdays. You can check out an outline of my math schedule if you want more info.

Math Playground houses my favorite online games for Algebraic Thinking, and since we just went 1-1, this will be a perfect way to use the laptops in math. I'll be sure to have discussions where students share some of the strategies they have developed (as well as push them to verbalize their strategies with me one on one as they are working).
1) Algebra Puzzle

 2) Algebraic Reasoning

 3) Calculator Chaos

 4) Weigh the Wangdoodles

I have a set of really cool Algebraic Thinking worksheets. These sets of activities are special because each problem builds and gets more challenging as students move through them. In addition, students are successful when they are able to carry previously learned strategies and concepts with them to future puzzles. (Unfortunately, I can't find an example of these anywhere online, so I will have to share them in another Algebra post when I return to school and can get some pictures!)

I love this game called "24." Students must use all 4 numbers and any operations (make an equation basically) to get a result of 24. In poking around on the net today, I found out there are multiple versions of this game--providing for challenge at many grade levels.

I also bought Order of Operations Task Cards from Chilimath. I thought the cards were great because they have three different sets that require students to find answers in different ways:           1) simplifying an expressions, 2) multiple choice where students simplify the expression then pick a multiple choice answer, then 3) students have three choices of expressions and choose the one that gives the listed result (I like this one because potentially students have to solve three problems to get the answer to the task card and problems of this type often show up on state tests).

I hope you found a resource that you can incorporate into your math time. Did you know that if you use blogger or a google site for your classroom, you can straight copy my links and pictures above and paste it into your site? I'm going to do this to share the algebra links with students. Easy peasy!