Problem Solving with Algebra | Code Breaking | Lesson Notes, Slides & Activities

This lesson allows students to apply and use their algebraic thinking through the lens of cryptography, where students problem solve to crack the code and unlock a vault - perfect to help your students master algebraic expressions through clear explanations, thought-provoking challenges, and engaging activities!

Knowledge and Skills Covered:

Knowledge:

I know that a variable is a letter or symbol used to represent a value that can change or is currently unknown. In this lesson, we use variables to build our own secret security keys.

I know the difference between an expression and an equation. In this lesson, we create expressions for our codes and turn them into equations when we set them equal to a specific vault output.

I know that an inverse operation is the opposite action that can be used to isolate a variable. In this lesson, we must use the inverse of three separate steps to successfully crack a vault and find the starting input.

Skills:

I can translate a word problem into a formal algebraic expression or equation. In this lesson, we turn written security instructions into mathematical formulas.

I can substitute numerical values into a formula to find a solution. In this lesson, we test our security codes with different numbers to make sure they work before locking the vault.

I can solve two-step equations (and beyond) by balancing both sides. In this lesson, we use the balance method to solve complex equations that have multiple operations.

What’s Included?

Your download includes everything you need for a successful lesson:

Unit Overview Notes: Outlines the knowledge, skills, and pre-requisites for the entire unit. This lesson is part of a 6 lesson unit, exploring ‘Can we use symbols and patterns to predict the unknown?’

Detailed Lesson Walkthrough/Notes: Includes a step-by-step guide with guiding questions and key discussion points.

Guiding Questions: Great opportunities for AfL throughout your lesson, designed to help your students draw on their previous learning and make purposeful connections.

Lesson Slides: Engaging slides to guide your lesson.

Lesson Activities: Includes accessible, low-floor high ceiling activities that all students can access through adaptive teaching, leading to improved confidence. There are also opportunities embedded in the lesson for further challenge to extend learners further and outlined strategies to enable learners.

Exit Ticket: A purposeful closing task which allows students to demonstrate their understanding, skills and knowledge - a great opportunity for AfL.

This download provides both the Editable PPT Version and the PDF Version.

Terms of Use: This product should only be used by the teacher who purchased it. This product is not to be shared with other teachers.