Honors Algebra 1

Students can succeed in this course after completing any pre-Algebra course, including:

• the Saxon Math 8/7 (with pre-Algebra) text
• Math 7 with pre-Algebra course
• Pre-Algebra course
• Saxon Algebra 1/2 text

Students who struggled with Saxon Math 8/7 or the Math 7 with Pre-Algebra course are advised to use Saxon Algebra 1/2 or another Pre-Algebra course prior to beginning this course.  Note that about the first five chapters will include much review of pre-Algebra concepts.

This course is typically done in the 8th or 9th grade.  Topics include:

• Fundamental operations
• Functions & graphs
• Domain & range of functions
• Integers
• Rational numbers
• Absolute values
• Equations in one variable
• Equations in two variables
• Simultaneous equations
• Exponents
• Polynomials
• Factoring
• Fractions
• Square roots
• Quadratic equations
• Graphing quadratic equations
• Real numbers
• Fractional equations
• Inequalities
• Graphing inequalities in two variables
• Arithmetic & geometric sequences

Prerequisites:

• Math 7 with a first semester grade of A OR a math assessment test (score of 80% or above), or Math 8
• Assessment test should be administered upon completion of Math 7 or equivalent.

Students taking this course for Kolbe Honors (H) credit are expected to complete daily assignments, periodic exams and quizzes as assigned by their parent.  Kolbe Honors (H) students will go into more depth and cover more material than the Kolbe Core (K) students.

Assignment due-dates and some grades are established by the parent.  To receive honors credit with Kolbe Academy, students must submit a number of designated assignments to Kolbe Academy for grading, usually exams and select papers.  The parent- and Kolbe-established grades are averaged to produce the final grade for the honors course.

Alternatively, a student may enroll in the Self-Paced Plus© grading assistance program to receive additional grading assistance by a Kolbe Academy faculty or staff member on designated assignments in the course.  In this case, parents may still submit grades for the student to be averaged in with the required Kolbe-graded honors assignments, or they may use the teacher-graded materials only to receive credit.

• Algebra 1, Paul Foerster, Prentice Hall Classics
• Solutions – Algebra 1, Paul Foerster, Prentice Hall Classics
• Foerster’s Home Study Companion  (This course companion is optional, but recommended.  It is listed under the Algebra 1 “Optional Material” section in the Kolbe Bookstore.)

Self-Paced Plus courses include the following:

• Grading by a highly qualified teacher for selected assignments (listed below) in the course.
• Access to teacher through the course’s discussion board.
• Option to report grade given by the teacher, or to report a grade assigned by parent.
• The pacing is still established by the parent in conjunction with the student’s goals and academic calendar.
• Assignments will be graded within 1-2 weeks of the submission date, excluding holiday breaks.  (For the quickest grading, students should turn assignments in incrementally throughout the year.  If a student turns in multiple assignments to be graded at once, expect a response time of 1-2 weeks per assignment submitted.)

Self-Paced Plus Assignment List: