Topic: Solving for the Unknown Variable

Grade: 6

Outcomes:
 Teach solving equations through the concept of keeping the equation balanced
 Using pan balances and visual post-its to learn to use the properties of operations on both
sides of the equations
 Students can move on to only working with the numbers and equations

Common Core Learning Standard:

Reason about and solve one-variable equations and inequalities
(CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.B.5）
Understand solving an equation or inequality as a process of answering a question:
which values from a specified set, if any, make the equation or inequality true?

Materials: 
• 5 balance pans
• small ball labelled x
• empty small box labelled x
• other light objects labelled x
• post-it notes labelled 1 and -1
• large square paper labelled x, 2x, 3x, etc.
• worksheets

Hook: 
Mystery Value X?
The hook is that students have always seen the mystery variable x. In this lesson, they will play
the detectives and learn the skills to solve the mystery.

Rising Action: 
Activity 1: “Balance It Out” (see Finding the Mystery “X” Worksheet)
The class will be split into groups of 4 or 5, depending on the number of students. Each group
will receive a pan balance. The pan balance will already be balanced with base 10 blocks and an
“x” block. The goal of the activity is for students to isolate the “x” block to find how many one-
unit blocks the “x” weighs.
Students may find that by removing 1 unit block from each side, pan balance is still balanced.

Station 2: “Post-It Mystery”

Students will be given equations made with post-its and big papers. The big square paper is the
unknown. Students can move the post-its from one side of the equation to another, or take off
post-its from both sides of the equation. They can use what they learned from the pan balance to
practice. Through experimentation, students can learn how to solve mystery variables of
equations that involve subtraction.
Step 1: The equation 4A-3=5 is represented by the post-it notes.
Step 2: Students will be instructed to move three 1 post-it notes to the left to balance out the
three -1 post it notes.

Step 3: Therefore, 4A-3=5 is subtracting 3 from the right side.

Step 4: Then, the students can divide both sides by 4, by splitting the right side into 4 groups,
each group with two post-its. Students can use a marker to draw out the groups.
Climax: 
Station 1: “Balance It Out”
Students will find that only when they remove or add the same number of one-unit blocks to both
sides of the balance will the scale stay balanced. For instance, if they only tried to remove blocks
from one side of the pan balance, the pan balance will tip to the other side. This will allow them
to understand that in solving the mystery variable, the same units and number of units needs to
be added or removed from each side.

Station 2: “Post-It Attack”

Students will find that if there is a subtraction in the equation, they can subtract the number from
the other side and add it to the side with the subtraction. Since adding and subtracting are
operations that can undo one another, this will get rid of the subtraction. For instance, in 3x-
4=17, the student can add 4 to both sides to get 3x=17+4=21, then divide both sides by 3 to get
x=7.

Falling Action: 
Have the students complete a reflection at the bottom of the worksheet to summarize what they
have learned.

Resolution:
After they finished the worksheet, emphasize that the takeaway from this lesson is: Perform the
same operation to both sides of the equation to keep the equation balanced and find the
unknown variable in the process. If the operation performed is not the same, the equation still
exists, but it becomes a false equation.
 Name: _____________
Date:_______________
Finding the Mystery “X” Worksheet
Activity 1: Balance It Out
1. How many one-unit blocks does the x ball weigh?

Use the pan balance to find how many one-unit blocks the x block weighs.

What did you do to find how many one-unit blocks the x block weighs? Experiment with the
pan balance and write down your answer.

2. Try another one. How many one-unit blocks does the x pentagon weigh?
3.

4.

5.
Activity 2: Post-It Attack

Reflection:

Balance It Out:
What actions did you perform that made the pan balance go off balance?

What actions did you perform that still made the pan balance stay balanced?
What did you learn about solving equations?

Post-Its Attack
How did you solve the equation? What did you do to both sides of the equation?

What were the two steps you used?