Learning outcomes

Students will multiply polynomials using the FOIL Method, distributive property, and by adding areas of a rectangle.

Teacher planning
Time required for lesson
1 hour

Materials/resources

Index cards with distributive property problems written on them. Attachment warmup.rtf (see below) has problems that can be used. One copy of the Worksheet- Multiply poly for each student. Transparency sheets to work problems. Overhead pens for the students to use (any color).

Technology resources
Overhead projector or other projection device

Pre-activities
As a warm-up activity when the students enter the class: 1. Give each student an index card with a single problem involving the distributive property. Make sure two or three students get the same problem, because the students will work in groups later in the lesson based on having the same problem. The problems in Warm Up can be used. 2. Have the students work the problem on his/her card. 3. After a few minutes, check the answers with the class by asking for volunteers, and answer any questions that might arise. 4. To begin the main activity, have students find their new group by finding the other student or students who have the same problem on their index cards. 5. Have the students move to sit with their new group.

Activities
Part I 1. Draw the rectangle in Example 1 on the overhead or board. Have each group find the areas of each small part of the rectangle. Three examples are included in multiply poly.

2. 3. 4. 5.

Have the students add up all the parts to find the total area of the large rectangle. Check answers as a class and answer any questions that arise. Have the students work through examples 2 and 3 in the same manner. After the examples have been worked and all questions answered, have four practice problems copied onto a transparency for each group. Have each group work the four problems. These problems are attached at the end of the lesson multiply poly. 6. After everyone is finished, pick one person from four of the groups to present their answers on the overhead. 7. Correct any mistakes and answer any questions that arise. Part II 1. Explain that the area problems completed in Part I can be done without looking at the rectangles. 2. Demonstrate the same examples used in Part I using the distributive property or FOIL (First, Outer, Inner, Last) method. Activity Part 2 shows the work for these examples. 3. Have students work with their groups to complete five problems for classwork. Activity Part 2 gives some examples of problems. 4. As each group finishes, have one person in the group raise his/her hand so the teacher can check the answers. 5. Assign each group a problem to present to the class by writing it on a transparency and explaining the work they did.

Assessment
Worksheet- Multiply poly. Polynomials Quiz on multiplying polynomials. Assessing multiplying polynomials as a section on the next chapter test.

Supplemental information
Attachments:

Warmup Worksheet- Multiply poly Polynomials Quiz multiply poly Activity Part 2 ELL Quiz

Related websites

The Oswego City School District Regents Exam Prep webpage provides awesome polynomial examples and quizzes to help students.

Modifications
Place a novice student in a group with a non-ELL student or with an advanced or a superior ELL student. There should not be all novice ELLs in the group. During class discussion write answers on the overhead and read answers aloud.

Alternative assessments

Extended time on the quiz. Read the quiz aloud to the ELL student. Decrease the number of questions on the quiz and the homework for the ELL novice student. Make sure that all concepts are covered by selecting problems that address the objectives. Allow more space between problems on the quiz as in this example of the ELL Quiz.

Critical vocabulary

Polynomials Binomials FOIL method Distributive Property

Comments
Both the Distributive Property and the FOIL method are used in Part 2 of the activity. Either method may be presented to the students in class. It is not necessary to use both methods. This lesson plan was developed during the English Language Development Standard Course of Study lesson planning institutes hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and LEARN NC, June and July, 2004. It includes specific strategies, instructional modifications, and alternative assessments which make this lesson accessible to limited English proficient students. Please note that this lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the N.C. English Language Development standards.