Block Party Slides Term Town Builders • Lesson 1 Introduction
The Great Block Party
Welcome to Term Town! Today, we are going to learn how to find and group our building blocks. Let's build together!
No math stress, just visual matching!
Slide 1 of 5
Term Town Builders • Meet the Team The Elements
x
Blue Box (x)
Represented by a solid blue square. This is our "x" block.
Red Triangle (y)
Represented by a red triangle. This is our "y" block.
Yellow Circle (#)
Represented by a yellow circle. These are just regular numbers!
Can we mix a blue box with a yellow circle? Let's find out!
Slide 2 of 5
Term Town Builders • Core Concept The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule of Building
In Term Town, we can only combine blocks that are the exact same shape and color!
Why?
You can't stack a triangle on top of a circle without it rolling off! They must match to pack together.
x
x
LIKE TERMS (Yes!)
x
UNLIKE (No Stack)
Keep your eyes on the matching shapes and colors!
Slide 3 of 5
Term Town Builders • Practice Match Interactive Challenge
Can You Spot the Matches?
Let's find the matching pairs hidden in this blueprint!
3x
Term A
5
Term B
Term C (2y)
7x
Term D
Who does Term A (3x) want to invite to the block party? Term D!
Hint: They both have the letter 'x' and are blue boxes!
Slide 4 of 5
Term Town Builders • Next Steps Mission Start
Your Turn to Build!
Grab your colored pencils! On your Block Party Worksheet, you will help our builders organize the construction yard.
Color and Code
Color like terms with the same pencil colors so builders can find them.
Group the Stacks
Sort the scattered terms into organized inventory piles.
Let's show Term Town what master builders can do!
Slide 5 of 5
Block Party Worksheet Term Town Builders • Day 1
Block Party Worksheet
Level: Visual Match
Name: ___________________________
Date: _______________
x
Golden Rule of Term Town
We can only combine terms that have the EXACT SAME variable shape and color! Blue squares (x ) only combine with blue squares. Red triangles (y ) only combine with red triangles.
1 Activity 1: Color-Code the Yard!
Grab your crayons or markers. Color the x-blocks BLUE , the y-blocks RED , and the regular number-blocks YELLOW .
3x
2y
7
5x
12
8y
x
3
2 Activity 2: Match Maker
Draw a line from each block on the Left to its matching like-term block on the Right .
4x
10y
15
6y
2
8x
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Term Town Builders • Day 1
Like Term Detection
Level: Visual Match
3 Activity 3: Spot the Twins!
In each row, look at the target term on the left. Circle all the other terms in the row that belong to the same visual family (same variable/shape!).
Target: 2x
4x
3y
10
5x
Target: 5y
2x
8y
y
14
Target: 9
12
6x
2
4y
4 Activity 4: Yard Inventory
Count how many of each block type are scattered in the Construction Yard on **Page 1 (Activity 1)** and write down the numbers.
x
Total Blue Blocks (x):
Total Red Blocks (y):
Total Numbers (#):
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Block Party Teacher Guide Term Town Builders • Day 1
Block Party Teacher Guide
Teacher Support
Core Objectives
Identify matching variables using visual supports.
Differentiate between like and unlike terms.
Group scattered variables into organized inventory lists.
Accommodations
Color-coded shapes for visual processing.
Large, uncluttered worksheet layouts.
Tactile building blocks (optional overlay).
Scripted Lesson Path & Questions
Say: "Welcome to Term Town, builders! Today we have a building yard full of blocks. But wait—they are completely disorganized! We can only build with blocks that look identical. Let's find the matching pairs together!"
Ask: "Look at this blue block with an 'x'. Can we stack a red triangle 'y' on top of it? Why or why not?"
Expected Student Response: "No, because the triangle has points and will slide off the flat square!"
Model: "Exactly! So they are NOT like terms. Only flat blue boxes can stack together, and only triangles can stack together. Let's find their families."
Worksheet Answer Keys
Activity 2 Match Answers:
4x → 8x (Blue Box Family)
10y → 6y (Red Triangle Family)
15 → 2 (Yellow Circle Family)
Activity 4 Inventory Answers:
Blue Blocks (x): 3 blocks
Red Blocks (y): 2 blocks
Numbers (#): 3 numbers
Differentiated Sensory Tip
For students with heavy motor or tactile needs, offer actual colored plastic blocks (squares, triangles, circles) to place directly on top of the worksheet pages instead of drawing lines and circling. This keeps engagement high without hand fatigue.
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Sorting Station Slides Term Town Builders • Lesson 2 Stacking & Combining
The Sorting Station
Now that we can spot our building blocks, it's time to stack them up! Today, we combine our terms to make beautiful, tall towers.
Only stack blocks that match perfectly!
Slide 1 of 5
Term Town Builders • Combining Terms Concept Model
Stacking Like Blocks
If we have multiple matching blocks, we can stack them into one neat pile and count them together!
3x + 2x = 5x
"3 blue boxes plus 2 blue boxes equals 5 blue boxes!"
x
x
x
3x
x
x
2x
=
x
x
x
x
x
5x
Notice: The size/variable 'x' doesn't change, only the number of blocks in the stack!
Slide 2 of 5
Term Town Builders • Stacking Rules No Stacking Different Blocks
When Blocks Don't Match
If we have blocks of different shapes, we CANNOT merge them into a single number! We must leave them side-by-side.
3x + 2y
"3 blue boxes and 2 red triangles. We can't stack them together, so we keep them separated!"
x
x
2x
1y
NOT EQUAL TO
3xy
Keep variables separate! Never smash different letters together.
Slide 3 of 5
Term Town Builders • The Sorting Tool Visual Strategy
How to Use a Sorting Grid
When an expression is long, we sort the blocks into separate containers first!
Simplify: 3x + 4y + 2x + y
Blue Box Yard (x)
3x + 2x = 5x
Red Triangle Yard (y)
4y + 1y = 5y
Final Answer: 5x + 5y
Sorting makes big expressions easy to build!
Slide 4 of 5
Term Town Builders • Ready to Work Let's Build
Welcome to the Sorting Station!
It's time to open your Sorting Station Worksheet. You'll have your very own sorting grids to stack up those terms.
Our Goal Today
Learn how to merge numbers of the same family and write simplified algebraic expressions with confidence!
Let's group, count, and build!
Slide 5 of 5
Sorting Station Worksheet Term Town Builders • Day 2
Sorting Station Worksheet
Level: Combining Positives
Name: ___________________________
Date: _______________
x
x
x
Stacking Rule: Combine the numbers (coefficients) in front of the letter. The letter stays exactly the same! 1x + 2x = 3x
1 Activity 1: Draw the Stacks
Combine the blocks and write the final total term. Draw simple boxes in the middle column if helpful!
3x + 2x
Draw boxes here
Answer:
4y + y
Draw triangles here
Answer:
2 Activity 2: The Sorting Station Grid
Sort and combine this long expression: 5x + 3y + 2x + y + 4 . Write the sorted parts in the correct boxes below.
BLUE BOXES (x)
5x + 2x
Combine:
RED TRIANGLES (y)
3y + y
Combine:
NUMBERS (#)
4
Combine:
Final Combined Expression:
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Term Town Builders • Day 2
Expression Building
Level: Combining Positives
3 Activity 3: Match and Color Code
For each expression, draw a loop or underline terms belonging to the same family with matching colors, then simplify.
Problem A:
2x + 5 + 4x + 1
Simplify:
Problem B:
3y + 6x + y + 2x
Simplify:
4 Activity 4: Master Builder Challenge
Simplify these positive algebra expressions completely. Look closely at the families!
CHALLENGE 1 4x + 3 + 2x + 5
Answer:
CHALLENGE 2 6y + 2x + y + 5x
Answer:
CHALLENGE 3 8 + 3x + 2 + 5x + 4y
Answer:
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Sorting Station Answer Key Term Town Builders • Day 2
Sorting Station Answer Key
Answer Key
For Teacher Reference Only
Contains the simplified expressions and block inventory counts for Lesson 2.
1 Activity 1: Draw the Stacks Solutions
3x + 2x 5x
4y + y 5y
2 Activity 2: Sorting Station Grid Solutions
Blue Box (x)
7x
Red Triangle (y)
4y
Numbers (#)
4
Final Combined Expression: 7x + 4y + 4 (order of terms can vary)
3 & 4 Activity 3 & 4: Practice & Master Builder Challenge Solutions
Activity 3:
Problem A: 6x + 6
Problem B: 8x + 4y
Activity 4 (Challenges):
Challenge 1: 6x + 8
Challenge 2: 7x + 7y
Challenge 3: 8x + 4y + 10
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Sign Swap Slides Term Town Builders • Lesson 3 Positive & Negative
The Great Sign Swap
Uh oh! Some of our building blocks have negative charges! Today, we learn the secrets of positive and negative blocks and how they cancel out.
Mastering integers with color-coded block cards!
Slide 1 of 5
Term Town Builders • Opposing Charges Meet the Opposites
Positive Block (+x)
Bright blue block. It represents adding or possessing an item. Solid, strong, and active!
-
Negative Block (-x)
Striped or dark gray block. It represents subtracting or owing an item. It pulls down!
Every action has an equal and opposite block!
Slide 2 of 5
Term Town Builders • Cancellation The Zero Hero Rule
The Zero Hero!
When a positive block and a negative block of the SAME family touch, they cancel each other out completely and disappear!
+x
-x
=
POOF! (0)
They must be in the same family to cancel out!
Slide 3 of 5
Term Town Builders • Expression Walkthrough Walkthrough
Let's Cancel Out!
Look at this expression: 5x - 2x. We start with 5 positive blue blocks, and we add 2 negative blocks.
5x - 2x = 3x
Two pairs vanish, leaving 3 positive blocks behind!
Battle Field: 5x + (-2x)
+x
X
+x
X
+x
+x
+x
-x
X
-x
X
The crossed-out pairs are the Zero Heroes! They POOF away.
Match positive and negative to neutralize terms.
Slide 4 of 5
Term Town Builders • Day 3 Activity Sorting Mission
Let's Play Card Sorting!
Now we will use our hands! Cut out the Sign Swap Sorting Cards and match the raw expressions to their simplified Zero Hero versions!
Tactile Cut & Sort
Physically organize terms to visualize expression simplifying.
Friendly Collaboration
Work with a partner to check your Zero Hero matchups!
Ready, set, cut and swap!
Slide 5 of 5
Sign Swap Worksheet Term Town Builders • Day 3
Sign Swap Worksheet
Level: Visual Negatives
Name: ___________________________
Date: _______________
+x
-x
The Zero Hero Rule: When one + block meets one - block of the SAME shape, they completely cancel out to 0 !
1 Activity 1: Create Zero Hero Pairs
Draw a loop around the matching positive and negative blocks to cancel them out, then write down what's left.
PROBLEM 1: 3x - 1x
+x
+x
+x
and
-x
Saves:
PROBLEM 2: 2y - 2y
+y
+y
and
-y
-y
Saves:
2 Activity 2: Cross-Out Arena
Cross out matched pairs with your pencil and write the final expression value.
PROBLEM A: 4x - 2x
+x
+x
+x
+x
-x
-x
Simplified:
PROBLEM B: 3y - 2y
+y
+y
+y
-y
-y
Simplified:
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Term Town Builders • Day 3
Combining Positives & Negatives
Level: Visual Negatives
3 Activity 3: Mixed Sign Swap Station
Combine the like terms. Watch the plus and minus signs carefully! Use the blank box to show work or draw blocks if needed.
EXPRESSION 1 5x - 3x + 2y
Result:
EXPRESSION 2 4y + 3x - y - x
Result:
EXPRESSION 3 7x + 2 - 3x + 4
Result:
4 Activity 4: Builder Check-In
How do you feel about the Zero Hero cancellation rule? Color or check the smiley face that fits!
I got this!
Need some practice
Need teacher help
Term Town Builders unit Page 2 of 2
