Unit Plan 1 (Grade 7 Math): Building Our Math Community & Problem-Solving Norms
7th graders build a strong math culture through discourse routines, self-checking, and error analysis. Engaging ratio, rate, and integer tasks strengthen number sense while fostering precision, collaboration, and confidence in mathematical communication.
Focus: Establish discourse routines, math notebooks, self-checking, and error analysis with rich ratio/rate and integer tasks.
Grade Level: 7
Subject Area: Mathematics (Classroom Culture • Problem Solving • Number Sense)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Launch the year by building a thinking classroom: norms for partner/group talk, math notebook setup, routines for self-checking and error analysis, and shared expectations for perseverance and clarity. Math-wise, students engage with accessible-but-deep tasks featuring ratios/unit rates (preview of 7.RP) and integers on the number line (spiral of 7.NS) so culture and content grow together.
Essential Questions
- What does productive math talk look/sound like, and how do we make space for everyone’s ideas?
- How do I check my own work, analyze mistakes, and revise a solution?
- How do unit rates and number line models help me reason about real situations quickly and accurately?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Use agreed discussion norms and sentence frames to explain thinking, ask clarifying questions, and build on peers’ ideas.
- Organize a math notebook (date, title, goal, worked examples, error analysis, reflection) and use it to track growth.
- Apply unit rate reasoning in simple ratio contexts and justify the constant of proportionality informally (light intro).
- Model integer addition/subtraction on a number line and interpret results in context (spiral).
- Employ a self-check routine (estimate → compute → verify → reflect) and document error analyses of sample work.
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 7
- Mathematical Practices MP.1–MP.8 (threaded throughout: make sense, reason, argue, model, use tools, precision, structure, regularity).
- 7.RP.1 (light introduction): Compute unit rates including complex fractions; interpret rate and units.
- 7.NS.1a–d (light spiral): Add/subtract rational numbers; represent on number line; show that subtraction is adding the additive inverse; apply properties; apply to contexts.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can listen, explain, and question using our class talk stems.
- I can set up my notebook so someone else can follow my work.
- I can find a unit rate and say what it means with correct units.
- I can use a number line to show integer addition/subtraction and explain my steps.
- I can check my answer and write a short error analysis when I find (or am given) a mistake.