Putting Essential Understanding of Expressions and Equations Into Practice in Grades 6–8 (Putting Essential Understanding Into Practice)

This comprehensive teaching resource from NCTM helps middle school educators bridge the critical transition from arithmetic to algebra in grades 6-8. Authored by Zandra De Araujo, Barbara J. Dougherty, and Fay Zenigami, this 180-page softcover guide addresses common student misconceptions about variables, expressions, and equations that can hinder algebraic understanding. The book explores how students often struggle with concepts like variables representing multiple values and the equals sign as an indicator of equivalence rather than a command to compute. Through practical strategies and examples, teachers learn to build on elementary foundations while correcting incomplete ideas that students bring from earlier grades. This standard edition provides essential insights for developing robust mathematical thinking and preparing students for advanced function concepts. Written in English and published in 2018, this professional development tool measures 10 inches by 7 inches and serves as an invaluable resource for math educators seeking to strengthen their instructional approach to algebraic reasoning. Read more