The Xs and Whys of Algebra: Key Ideas and Common Misconceptions

All teachers of algebra should have The Xs and Whys of Algebra at their fingertips during planning and instruction. 

This handy 84-page flipchart cuts through the confusion to help you prevent common misconceptions. 30 modules focus on key standards with instructional strategies, activities, and reproducibles.

 

http://www.stenhouse.com/pdfs/xypreview.pdf

Stenhouse Publishers writes, "In many ways, algebra can be as challenging for teachers as it is for students. With so much emphasis placed on procedural knowledge and the manipulations of variables and symbols, it can be easy to lose sight of the key ideas that underlie algebraic thinking and the relevance algebra has to the real world. 

In The Xs and Whys of Algebra: Key Ideas and Common Misconceptions, Anne Collins and Linda Dacey provide a set of thirty research-based modules designed to engage all students in mathematical learning that develops conceptual understanding, addresses common misconceptions, and builds key ideas that are essential to future learning".
For use in seventh- to ninth-grade courses focused on an introduction to formal algebra, this flipchart emphasizes five essential algebraic concepts: using variables meaningfully; using multiple representations for expressions; connecting algebra with number; connecting algebra with geometry; and manipulating symbols with understanding. The thirty research-based modules in this spiral-bound flipchart are designed to engage all students in mathematical learning that develops conceptual understanding, addresses common misconceptions, and builds key ideas essential to future learning.

Following the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Common Core State Standards, the modules at this level are organized into three sections: Expressions, Equations, and Functions. Each module begins with the identification of its mathematical focus and the potential challenges and misconceptions associated with those ideas.
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About the Authors 
Anne Collins has thirty years of teaching experience having taught all grade levels K-12 including undergraduate and graduate level courses. 
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Linda Dacey, professor of mathematics and education at Lesley University, began her career teaching at the elementary level and early in her career, received an NSF grant to develop a model program for preparing middle school teachers. 
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Source: EdWeek Update and Stenhouse Publishers