Algebra Teaching Resources

Are you introducing algebra in your 5th and 6th grade math classes this school year? Bring numerical expressions and algebraic thinking to life with the help of engaging printable worksheets, fun algebra games and more teacher-created resources for elementary and middle school math teachers.

The printable and digital teacher resources in this collection are all aligned with the TEKS and Common Core math standards, and they've been designed by the Teach Starter team to be easily edited so you can differentiate instruction easily. Best of all? Each resource has been carefully reviewed by a math teacher on our team to ensure it's ready to add to your algebra lesson plans.

Whether this is your first year teaching algebra or you're just looking for a little extra help to meet all the standards, we've got you covered. Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look at algebraic thinking.

What Is Algebraic Thinking and Why Is it So Important?

Ever wondered why we teach algebraic thinking in elementary schools? Or what the term entails?

Long before students actually put pencil to paper to solve the equations that tend to come to mind when people hear the word "algebra," they're building a host of skills that all fall under the broad "algebraic thinking" umbrella.

So what does that look like?

On a high level, algebraic thinking is about identifying and understanding relationships that are not limited to specific numerical values. Kids use algebraic thinking to make sense of patterns and represent the relationships between numbers.

Taking things a step deeper, algebraic thinking activities like learning to identify the missing number in a sequence prep our young math learners to later represent and solve problems that involve unknown quantities and changing relationships.

Like so much of what we do in elementary and middle school, we're laying the foundation for our students to succeed in high school (and beyond).