This second book in the Doodles Do Algebra™ series teaches the concept of the unknown and then covers the basic vocabulary of algebra (called the 29 Articles). The concept of the unknown, or typically x, is introduced at the start of the book as a transition between the mental math your child did in the first book and the abstract vocabulary in the second part of this book that is necessary for your child to really become proficient with algebra.

The first step of algebra is getting your child thinking about basic concepts and doing problems, mostly in their head instead of on paper. This idea is much like having a child learn to play piano first by playing a scale, or a small memorized tune, without having to manage reading notes, counting, and playing all at once. It will give your child a sense of accomplishment to jump straight into solving problems successfully before backing up to learn the theory and vocabulary.

Why learn Algebra vocabulary? Well, the first response to that question is, “Why not?”

Among the first steps to learning absolutely anything (from biology to grammar to car repair) is to learn the vocabulary of the discipline. That way you can communicate. That way you can understand the problems. It may seem a boring activity, but it is an essential one. And in the Doodles Do Algebra™ series, we have made the vocabulary-learning process exciting enough that it entertained my own children.

• Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying Unknowns
• Using the Unknown to Solve A Simple Word Problem
• Solving for the Unknown (X)
• Algebra Vocabulary & Definition of a Quantity
• Magnitude vs. Multitude
• Measuring Units & Units of Measure
• Concrete & Unencumbered Numbers
• Theorems & Problems
• Known vs. Unknown Quantities
• Reviewing the Signs
• Numerical & Literal Coefficients
• Calculating Powers
• Roots & How to Calculate Them
• Monomials & Polynomials
• Homogeneous Algebra

This book is designed as the second step to learning Algebra. The key to teaching Algebra successfully is to have a curriculum that is as flexible as possible. A child’s learning capabilities grow and develop constantly so a text that fits perfectly at the start of the school year might not work after a few months.

This curriculum is designed to accommodate the growing and changing maturity of a child throughout the year. In order to teach a child with this curriculum, a parent needs one copy of the Teacher Edition and one copy of the Student Workbook for each child.