Bluebonnet Home Scholars Collaborative

Flower Forth

Pre-algebra

Level:

Subject(s):

Description:

At Bluebonnet Home Scholars Collaborative, the study of math is rooted in wonder. Students are invited to delve deeply into the beauty of math and to undertake mathematical study as an act of worship in which they can catch a glimpse into the mind of God.

Bluebonnet’s Pre-algebra course continues the student’s transition from arithmetic to algebraic problem solving. Students will review basic math concepts and skills, and be introduced to the order of operations, operations and equations with negative numbers, basic geometric concepts with 2D figures and 3D solids, basic inequalities, simple linear equations and proportions, and probability. Students will also gain experience converting word problems into algebraic form. Many topics covered offer a chance for students to make connections to their daily lives through algebraic expressions and to explore how the beauty of math enables man to simplify the complexity of the world.

Bluebonnet Pre-algebra provides a transitional math program between elementary and high school math, using the Singapore Dimensions curriculum BHSC students will have been familiar with since Math 1, but also introducing material from All Things Algebra, a curriculum which is used in some of our high school level courses.

Materials:

Families should purchase the following required supplies (note that textbooks should be clean copies, without solutions written in the text):

  • Singapore Dimensions Math Textbook 7A (Fall)
  • Singapore Dimensions Math Textbook 7B (Spring)
  • A three-ring binder with dividers, with a section stocked with some lined paper and graph paper
  • Pencils & erasers
  • 1 black/blue and 1 red non-erasable pen
  • 1 ruler (a small one is fine)
  • 1 compass
  • 1 protractor
  • A few colored pencils or colored erasable pens (3 colors other than black)
  • Scientific or graphing calculator* such as this

Books can be purchased directly from the publisher at the above links or from The Homeschool Bookstore in Stafford.

* Once in Algebra 1 and up, BHSC math students are required to purchase a graphing calculator (TI 89 and up, with CAS). Families may choose to purchase the graphing calculator now in anticipation of future high school math classes, or families may purchase a less expensive calculator for this class and save the larger purchase for later classes. For the Pre-algebra class, it is recommended for the students to have a simple scientific calculator (all TI-30X or TI-33X models are acceptable) for at-home assignment use.