Algebra 2 for all - no

And now for a thenews. Palo Alto math teachers oppose requiring Algebra II to graduate.

No one can argue that Palo Alto, home of Stanford, is opposed to education. But the math department of Palo Alto High School says

Don't prepare all students for University of California entrance, the math faculty argues, because not all students can master quadratic equations and logarithmic functions.

Duh.

Here in Georgia we have taken away the relevant math that would help those who are NOT going to college and replaced it with topics that they have trouble assimilating so the they have trouble graduating from high school.

I am shocked.

Wow. Middle schoolers who are weak in math do poorly in algebra in 8th grade. They do better if they do middle school math (basics) in middle school in preparation for Algebra in 9th grade.

I am shocked.

Domain and Range lesson

I want to have my students do a graphing project - something where they will do 10 lines, tell me the line equations, and color it.

I want to introduce domain and range - but have always had trouble with this in the classes I teach.

Yesterday, I got a brilliant idea. I will give them the option of doing lines without any domain limitations (imagine 10 lines drawn on a graph, then colored like a stained glass). Then I will show them another (imagine a simple house) where I discuss domain (but not range) and the line equations.

They can do either. And they will be allowed to work in groups.

We'll see.

Algebra

What do you consider to be the MAIN concepts of Algebra 1?

I have
* solving equations
* graphing (slope intercept, intercepts, plot points)
* manipulating equations (changing an equation from one form to another)
* evaluating expressions
* formulas (using a formula to solve a problem, like converting from centigrade to fahrenheit)


What do you think should be added to that list?