Here's the deal:  I'm working on curriculum for my school and Algebra 2 is making my eyes cross.  I think the major problem is the state of Virginia is in a transition year between "old" Standards of Learning (SOLs), and "new" ones.  This year is supposed to be the year that we're still teaching and assessing the old SOLs, but we're supposed to teach the new ones, too.  Those of you that teach Algebra 2 already know that there's an enormous amount of information to cover in a short period of time.  To give you context, our school teaches it as a semester-long block course.  There's only so much a brain can handle in one day, though!  
 
 Here's the first draft of my skills list and structure...I'm not sure what to do about the old vs. new SOLs (my skills list is based on the old SOLs because that is what will be assessed).
 
 Note:  Gray items are not included in old or new SOLs but might be necessary for student understanding
           Blue items are being taken out of the SOLs starting next year
           Red items are new to the SOLs starting this year
 
 Unit 1 Algebra 1 Review/Solving Equations
 
 
 1 Solve multi-step equations and inequalities
 2 Matrix +/-
 3 Solve compound inequalities
 4 Solve absolute value equations
 5 Solve absolute value inequalities
 
 Unit 2 Polynomial Review/Add Depth
 
 6 Factor trinomial a = 1
 7 Factor trinomial a > 1
 8 Factor special cases (sum/diff of cubes, diff of squares, perfect square trinomials)
 9 Factor out GCF first (factor completely)
 10 Exponent rules
 11 +/- polynomials
 12 Multiply polynomials
 13 Divide polynomials
 
 Unit 3 Rational Expressions
 
 14 Identify undefined values
 15 Simplify rational expressions by factoring and canceling out common factors
 16 Multiply and divide fractions
 17 Multiply and divide rational expressions
 18 Add and subtract fractions
 19 Add and subtract rational expressions
 20 Simplify complex fractions
 21 Solve rational equations
 
 Unit 4 Radicals, Radical Equations and Complex Numbers
 
 22 Simplify numbers under radical
 23 Simplify monomials under radical
 24 Multiply and divide radicals
 25 Add and subtract radicals
 26 Nth roots to rational exponents and vice versa
 27 Simplify expressions with nth roots and rational exponents
 28 Solve radical equations
 29 Simplify square roots with negative terms inside radical using i
 30 Add and subtract complex numbers
 31 Powers of i
 32 Multiply complex numbers
 
 Unit 5 Functions (intro)
 
 33 Domain and range of relations (from ordered pairs, mapping, graph, table)
 34 Identify relations that are functions and one-to-one
 35 Given graph and a value k, find f(k)
 36 Given graph, find zeros
 37 Given graph and a value k, find where f(x)=k
 
 Unit 6 Linear Functions
 
 
 38 Slope from graph, equation, points
 39 Graph from equation
 40 Equation from graph
 41 x- and y- intercepts
 42 Determine whether lines are parallel, perpendicular, or neither from equation or graph
 43 Write equations for parallel and perpendicular lines given line and point off the line
 44 Graph linear inequalities
 
 Unit 7 Systems
 
 
 45 Solve systems of equations by graphing
 46 Multiply Matrices using a graphing calculator
 47 Inverse matrix method of systems
 48 Systems of equations word problems
 49 Graph systems of linear inequalities
 50 Linear programming max/min problems
 
 Unit 8 Functions (reprise)
 
 51 Function math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
 52 Function composition, find a value i.e. f(g(3))
 53 Function composition, find the function i.e. f(g(x))
 54 Find an inverse function by switching variables
 
 Unit 9 Quadratics
 
 55 Graph from vertex form, identify max/min and zeros
 56 Solve by factoring
 57 Solve by Quadratic Formula (including complex solutions)
 58 Determine roots using the discriminant
 59 Write equation for quadratic given roots
 60 Quadratic systems
 61 Polynomials: relating x-intercept, zeroes and factors
 62 End behavior for polynomials
 
 Unit 10 Exponential/Logarithmic functions
 
 63 Exponential growth or decay from function
 64 Sketch base graph of exponential/log functions
 65 Exponential to log and vice versa
 66 Data analysis/curve of best fit for linear, quadratic, exponential and log
 
 Unit 11 Transformations and Parent Functions
 
 67 Graph absolute value functions
 68 Horizontal and vertical translations of linear, quadratic, cubic, abs value, exponential and log
 69 Reflections and stretching of linear, quadratic, cubic, abs value, exponential and log
 70 Combinations of transformations on parent functions
 71 Identify parent graphs of parent functions
 72 Identify equations of parent functions
 
 Unit 12 Conics
 
 73 Identify a conic from graph
 74 Identify a conic from equation
 
 Unit 13 Variations
 
 75 Write equation for direct, inverse and joint variation problems
 76 Find the constant of variation
 
 Unit 14 Sequences/Series
 
 77 Write n terms of an arithmetic sequence
 78 Find the sum of a finite arithmetic series
 79 Write n terms of geometric sequence
 80 Find sum of geometric series
 81 Use formulas to find nth term
 82 Identify sequence/series as arithmetic, geometric or neither
 
 Unit 15  Statistics
 
 83 Determine probabilities associated with areas under the normal crve
 84  Compute permutations and combinations
 
   
 If you made it this far, here's my call for help:  Anyone have advice/suggestions for how to make this work and/or a better way to organize the information into cohesive units that seem to occur in a somewhat logical order?  There is and will continue to be an emphasis on function families and transformations (as there should be).  I find it difficult to express on paper how each function category needs to be a resting place, but they are all connected in the ways that transformations apply.  Any ideas? 
   
 ...oh...and I'm going to be teaching one section of deaf students and one section of blind students...in case that makes a difference
 
 **edit:  I've added links to the old and new Virgina SOLs for Algebra 2 if anyone's interested**  
arithmetic sequence and polynomial problems
 
 
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