Math lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 60 minutes
Add and subtract polynomials
Algebra
CCSS HSA.APR.A.1England: GCSE Foundation Algebra
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Add and subtract polynomials.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Name polynomials by degree and number of terms
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Balance scales or a balance drawing, Algebra tiles, Function machine cards, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Name polynomials by degree and number of terms). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What is the degree of the polynomial −2x³ − 6x⁵? → 5Prompt: The degree is the highest power of x.
- Which name describes 9x? (quadratic monomial / linear monomial / linear binomial / quadratic binomial) → linear monomialPrompt: Count the terms: 1 monomial, 2 binomial, 3 trinomial.
- Write 1 + 5x² − 9x³ in standard form (highest power first). What is the leading coefficient? → -9Prompt: Order the terms from the highest power of x to the lowest.
Hook · 6 min
- Show a "think of a number" puzzle and ask the class to work out the starting number.
- Share the objective: Add and subtract polynomials. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Simplify: (−6x² + 5x + 9) + (2x² − 3x − 6)
- Step 1: −4x² + 2x + 3
- Answer: -4x^2+2x+3
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Simplify: (3x² − 5x − 4) + (x² − x − 7) → 4x^2-6x-11Prompt: Remove the brackets: adding doesn't change any signs.
- Simplify: (5x² + 6x + 7) − (−x² − 3x + 3) → 6x^2+9x+4Prompt: Subtracting a bracket changes the sign of every term inside it.
You do: independent practice · 17 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Simplify: (x² − 2x + 6) − (2x² − 7x − 7) → -x^2+5x+13Prompt: Subtracting a bracket changes the sign of every term inside it.
- Find the coefficient of x in (−5x³ − 2x + 4) − (5x² − 2x + 1). → 0Prompt: Some powers are missing from one polynomial: their coefficient is 0.
Watch out for
- Doing an operation to one side of an equation but not the other.
- Reading 3x as 3 + x, or thinking x always stands for one particular number.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Name polynomials by degree and number of terms.
- Use concrete materials: balance scales or a balance drawing.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-9.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder