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Teaching CCSS.Math.Content.HSA-SSE.A.2

Expressions in disguise.

  • Activities: 4
  • Quiz Questions: 0

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An experienced Minecraft player can read the lay of the land at a glance. That sound means there's a skeleton spawner around the corner, while this arrangement of blocks means there's probably a stash of diamonds nearby. And hey, do you hear some hissing…?

In the same way, an experienced math player can look at an expression and draw out all kinds of ways to rewrite it. That's the essence of A-SSE.2. So take a leisurely stroll through our activities and handouts; just keep an eye (and an ear) out for Creepers.

What's Inside Shmoop's Math Teaching Guides

Shmoop is a labor of love from folks who love to teach. Our teaching guides will help you supplement in-classroom learning with fun, engaging, and relatable learning materials that bring math to life.

Inside each guide, you'll find handouts, activity ideas, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

  • 3-5 in-class activities specifically designed with the Common Core in mind.
  • 4 handouts (with separate answer keys!) that'll get your students thinking deeply about the concepts and calculations.
  • Additional resources that'll help make any math topic hip, hot, and happening.
  • A note from Shmoop's teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the standard and how you can overcome the hurdles.

Want more help teaching Teaching CCSS.Math.Content.HSA-SSE.A.2?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.



Instructions for You

Objective: The objective of this game is to reinforce writing expressions in equivalent forms by factoring. Think of it like factoring calisthenics—not only will students get to identify different forms that are suitable for factoring, they'll also work out their factoring muscles.

The four types of factoring used in this game are: factoring with a difference of squares, trinomial factoring where a ≥ 1, factoring by greatest common factor, and factoring four terms by grouping. If you haven't covered one of these with your class yet, no worries—just call us the Factor King, because you mix and match things to have this activity your way.

Activity Length: 1 class period
Activity Type: Individual, but students are placed on teams to score points
Materials Needed: Scratch paper, and a chalkboard, whiteboard, computer, or document camera to project the problems
Attachments: Expressions List

Step 1: Divide the class into two teams. Throughout the game, you'll be calling on random students from each team, so make sure you know who's on which team. Maybe split the room in half for each team, or attach colored sticky notes to each student's forehead.

Step 2: You'll be moderating the game. (Surprise surprise.) Choose an expression from the Expressions List, and show the unfactored version of the expression (on the left) to the class. If you want to focus on certain types of expressions rather than others, feel free to make more. We won't—and can't—stop you.

Have students factor the expression using their scratch paper. Let them know that everyone needs to work on every problem, because a random student will be chosen to answer some questions about this expression.

Step 3: Answer time. Call on a student to answer two questions. Give one point for each correctly answered question to the student's team. The questions you'll ask are:

  1. What type of factoring method is best to use for this problem?
  2. What is the factored version of this expression?

If the student gets either question wrong, give a random student on the other team a chance to "steal" the points by answering any question the other team didn't answer correctly.

This way students can still get a point for knowing which factoring method to choose, even if they didn't factor correctly. Also, members of both teams need to try their best to answer any problem. Even if their team isn't up to get the first stab at the question, they might get a chance to steal those points.

Step 4: Keep the game going, alternating which team gets the first shot at answering the question. Reward the winning team with candies or stickers or a good ole fashioned pat on the back.

Instructions for Your Students

Student intro: It's been a hard day's night / and we've been factoring like a dog. / It's been a hard day's night / and we should be factoring like a log. But when I get home to you / we find the factoring that you do / will make us feel like factoring.

Okay, that seemed better before we actually wrote it down. Worst Beatle's parody ever? Maybe. Anyway, we're moving on and forgetting that that ever happened.

In this game, you'll be factoring expressions, not just for the satisfaction of a job well done, but to earn points for your team. So get your brain in gear to FACTOR FACTOR FACTOR (because you'll be doing some factoring).

Step 1: Your teacher will divide the class into two teams. If this seems a bit too easy, don't worry; it gets more challenging.

Step 2: And nooooow, the Main Event. Get out your scratch paper, and get ready to earn some points for your team.

Your teacher will display an expression, and you'll have to factor it. When time's up, your teacher will randomly choose a student, and they'll have to answer two questions:

  1. What type of factoring method is best to use for this problem?
  2. What is the factored version of this expression?

If the first question is answered correctly, that person's team gets a point. If the second question is answered correctly, their team gets $100. Nope, sorry, read that wrong: they get another point.

However, if either question is answered incorrectly, the other team gets a chance to steal. If you're on the team that didn't get the first stab at the question, and you think you have the answer, your teacher might choose you to win those dangling points for your team.

After one round, another expression is displayed, and it's back to your scratch paper. This time, a random player from the other team gets a shot at answering the question first, and the game goes on, back and forth, expression after expression. Whichever team has the most points at the end of the game wins.

Let the game commence!