Starting the year off right is SO important for any class, but especially in Algebra 1, in particular. That’s why I call our first unit The Foundations of Algebra.
Everything that is done in the first unit lays the foundation for everything to come throughout the rest of the year (and for the rest of their entire HS math career) so there is a lot riding on starting the year strong. No pressure, right?
Starting the year off right is SO important for any class, but especially in Algebra in particular, since everything that is done in the first unit is used throughout the entire year. Students NEED to have a strong foundation, or else they’ll be fighting an uphill battle all year, which is no good. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what topics are most important for students to know (from vocabulary to skills), so that each following unit has a strong foundation.
Here are all of the notes I used with my students during the 1st unit of Algebra 1.
Math by the Mountain 