Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to apply algebraic concepts to solve problems related to horses.

Materials and Prep

• Pencil and paper
• Calculator (optional)
• Basic understanding of arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)

Activities

1. Activity 1: Horse Stable Expenses

   Research and find out the average monthly expenses of owning a horse, including costs for food, bedding, veterinary care, and farrier services. Create a table or list to organize these expenses.

2. Activity 2: Budgeting for Horse Supplies

   Imagine you want to buy a new saddle for your horse. Research and find out the cost of the saddle you desire. Determine how much money you need to save each month to afford the saddle in a given time frame.

3. Activity 3: Horse Jumping Heights

   Investigate the heights of different horse jumping obstacles, such as crossrails, verticals, and oxers. Create a chart or graph to compare the heights of these obstacles.

Seventh Grade Talking Points

• "Algebra is a branch of mathematics that uses letters and symbols to represent unknown quantities or variables."
• "In Activity 1, we will use algebraic expressions to calculate the total monthly expenses of owning a horse by assigning variables to different costs and adding them together."
• "Activity 2 involves solving equations to determine how much money needs to be saved each month. We will use algebraic equations to represent the relationship between savings, time, and the cost of the saddle."
• "In Activity 3, we will use algebraic reasoning to compare the heights of different horse jumping obstacles. We will represent the heights using variables and analyze their relationships."
• "Algebra helps us solve real-world problems by breaking them down into smaller parts and finding patterns or relationships between variables."