Course Details:
- Live Class Schedule Varies Per Section
- Subscription continues until paused or cancelled
- Live Class Length: 45 minutes
- 16 seats per section
- Homework is assigned
- Formal grades
- Materials
The sign-up fee covers the CTC curriculum cost for all math levels for one year. All other resources are provided.
Pre-Algebra: Building a Bridge to High School Math
$20.00 / week and a $40.00 sign-up fee
This course follows CTC’s renowned mastery-oriented approach, helping seventh graders build genuine mathematical understanding through clear explanations, visual models, and conceptual depth. Our live classes complement the CTC Math curriculum with spiral review, advanced problem-solving practice, encouragement, and biblical connections that help students see God’s perfect order and design in mathematics.
Section Options / Enroll:
- Description
- Lesson Schedule
- Class Intro Video
- A Biblical Worldview
- Philosophy of Mathematics Learning
- The Lemons-Aid Way
- Teacher Bios
- Outschool
- Request a Section
Description
“Education is all a matter of building bridges.” – Ralph Ellison
This profound insight captures the essence of seventh grade pre-algebra. Education doesn’t happen in isolated pieces—it’s about constructing strong connections between what students know and what they’re ready to learn. Pre-algebra serves as the crucial bridge spanning elementary arithmetic and high school mathematics. Just as engineers carefully design bridges to bear weight and weather storms, students in pre-algebra must build mathematical foundations strong enough to support all future learning. When students master the art of building these educational bridges, they develop not just mathematical skills, but the confidence to cross into any new area of learning that awaits them.
Course Description
Our 7th Grade Pre-Algebra course helps students build a solid bridge to high school mathematics through the proven CTC math curriculum enhanced by our expert live instruction. Students master fundamental algebraic concepts, develop sophisticated problem-solving strategies, and gain the mathematical maturity needed for success in Algebra I in a nurturing, Christ-centered environment.
This course follows CTC’s renowned mastery-oriented approach, helping seventh graders build genuine mathematical understanding through clear explanations, visual models, and conceptual depth. Our live classes complement the CTC math curriculum with spiral review, advanced problem-solving practice, encouragement, and biblical connections that help students see God’s perfect order and design in mathematics.
How It Works
Asynchronous Learning (Daily): Students work through CTC math lessons in Canvas 4-5 days per week, progressing through comprehensive pre-algebra concepts with clear explanations and thorough practice at their own pace.
Live Classes: Our expert teachers lead sessions focusing on:
- Re-teaching concepts based on student questions and progress monitoring
- Spiral review of previously learned skills
- Advanced algebraic problem-solving strategies
- Linear equation graphing and real-world applications
- Biblical connections and prayer time
- Building confidence for high school mathematics
Assessment & Communication:
- Complete grading of all assignments and assessments
- Regular progress monitoring and parent updates
- Monthly progress reports with specific recommendations
Social, Emotional & Spiritual Growth
Building Mathematical Confidence: We understand that seventh grade pre-algebra is the final preparation before high school mathematics. Our bridge-building approach emphasizes how this course creates a strong foundation that will support all future mathematical learning. Students learn that with God’s help and systematic preparation, they can DO HARD THINGS and enter high school mathematics with confidence and competence.
Faith Integration: Students discover that God is a God of preparation through the logical progression from arithmetic to algebra, the beautiful relationships in geometric constructions, and the predictable patterns in statistical analysis. We begin each class with prayer, thanking God for minds capable of bridging concrete and abstract mathematical thinking. As students master increasingly sophisticated mathematical concepts, they learn that “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33) and see how mathematical preparation reflects His perfect design for building strong foundations.
Developing Mathematical Maturity: At this crucial age, we intentionally build sophisticated mathematical reasoning and study habits through CTC’s renowned mastery-oriented approach. Students learn that successful bridge-building requires patience, practice, and perseverance, and that thorough preparation creates confidence for future challenges.
In our 7th Grade Pre-Algebra: Building a Bridge to High School Math course, we help each student construct the strong mathematical foundation and confident mindset they need for success in Algebra I and beyond, while helping them see the beauty of God’s design in the logical progression and increasing sophistication of mathematical thinking.
Content Covered: Scope & Sequence
Advanced Algebraic Thinking (Building the Foundation Bridge!)
- Mastering algebraic expressions with multiple variables
- Solving multi-step linear equations and inequalities
- Understanding and applying the distributive property
- Working with commutative and associative properties
- Connecting algebraic manipulation to real-world problem-solving
Integer Operations Mastery (Strengthening the Bridge!)
- Complete mastery of operations with positive and negative integers
- Understanding integer concepts through number lines and visual models
- Applying integer operations to algebraic expressions
- Solving problems involving temperature, elevation, and financial contexts
- Building foundation for rational number operations
Linear Equations and Graphing (Extending the Bridge!)
- Graphing linear equations in two variables
- Understanding slope as rate of change
- Finding slope from tables, graphs, and equations
- Writing equations from real-world scenarios
- Connecting algebraic and geometric representations
Ratios, Rates, and Proportions (Scaling the Bridge!)
- Advanced work with ratios and proportional relationships
- Solving complex proportion problems
- Understanding percent increase and decrease
- Working with scale factors and similar figures
- Applying proportional reasoning to real-world situations
Advanced Geometry (Designing the Bridge!)
- Angle relationships: vertical, complementary, supplementary
- Compass and straightedge constructions
- Area and circumference of circles using π
- Volume and surface area of three-dimensional solids
- Cross-sections of geometric solids
The Pythagorean Theorem (Engineering the Bridge!)
- Understanding and proving the Pythagorean Theorem
- Applying the theorem to real-world distance problems
- Finding missing sides in right triangles
- Connecting geometry to algebraic thinking
- Solving complex multi-step problems involving right triangles
Statistics and Probability (Testing the Bridge!)
- Advanced statistical analysis and interpretation
- Understanding probability concepts and calculations
- Creating and analyzing various data displays
- Making predictions based on statistical evidence
- Connecting mathematics to data-driven decision making
Advanced Problem-Solving (Completing the Bridge!)
- Multi-step word problems requiring multiple mathematical concepts
- Real-world applications of algebraic thinking
- Logical reasoning and mathematical proof concepts
- Connecting pre-algebra to future mathematical studies
- Building problem-solving confidence for high school mathematics
Class Introduction Video
Taught From a Christian Perspective
Our mission is to equip learners’ minds and shepherd their hearts. We want them to have saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and then develop a biblical worldview. This means they view their world, themselves, and God in a way that aligns with what the Bible teaches. This brings great peace and understanding to the believer because we serve a good, sovereign God. This course is taught with these goals in mind. In class, we may pray, read scripture, and discuss how to view the content from a Christian perspective.
MATH:
God has created our brains with the ability to study and comprehend amazing, complex things! Math is such a unique subject to study and master. We can see math in God’s creation, and we can appreciate His order through the complex skills we learn.
We have adopted The Master’s Seminary Doctrinal Statement.
Philosophy of Mathematics Learning:
At Lemons-Aid Learning, we believe mathematics education should build both deep understanding and lasting confidence. Our approach combines the best of proven methodologies to create a complete learning experience that serves every type of learner.
Mastery with Spiral Support: We use mastery-based curricula that allow students to deeply understand concepts before moving forward, but we enhance this with intentional spiral review in our live classes. This means students gain true mastery while keeping previous skills fresh and connected—avoiding both the shallow coverage of pure spiral curricula and the “forgetting gap” that can occur with mastery-only approaches.
Conceptual Understanding with Procedural Fluency: Our students learn the “why” behind mathematical concepts through visual models, manipulatives, and clear explanations, then develop speed and accuracy through targeted practice. This dual approach ensures they can both solve problems creatively and execute procedures confidently—essential for success in higher mathematics.
Emotional and Spiritual Growth: We recognize that mathematics often triggers anxiety and frustration. Our classes provide a safe, supportive environment where students learn they can “do hard things” through Christ’s strength. We address math anxiety head-on with encouragement, multiple pathways to understanding, and the biblical truth that God has designed our minds for complex thinking and problem-solving.
Complete Support System: While our carefully chosen curricula provide excellent instruction, our live classes add the human element students need: immediate help with challenging concepts, accountability for consistent practice, test preparation, real-world applications, and the joy of learning alongside peers who share their faith.
Mathematics reveals God’s order, beauty, and design throughout creation. As students master mathematical concepts, they’re not just preparing for the next grade level—they’re developing logical thinking, perseverance, and wonder at the intricate patterns woven throughout God’s world.
✨ 🍋 ✨ Why Lemons-Aid? ✨ 🍋 ✨
A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW: The Bible, infallible and inerrant, is the very written word of God, who has revealed Himself to man. The Bible is like the light we cast on all content areas in order to understand it, whether that be literature, physical science, history, or geometry. Students learn all content through a Biblical lens. Theology is important for understanding all subject areas. We carefully curate courses that capture learners’ imagination while pointing them to God through sound doctrine. THIS is most important!
RICH CONTENT / CORE KNOWLEDGE: While other schools and systems try to align their content to broad standards that are vague and open to wild interpretations, we focus our content on what students should know and be able to do so they see the world biblically and head into their adult lives filled with knowledge, wisdom, and mastery of skill such as computing and writing. For over a century, progressive education reform has been “anti-content,” which means they de-emphasize rich content and focus instructional time on things such as self-esteem and “skills” they hope will benefit a learner in the future. This is why American kids do so poorly in testing compared to nations with content-rich curricula. We want our learners to increase in knowledge and grow in wisdom, which our content-area experts foster while teaching.
EXPLICIT TEACHING: We understand the skills and concepts students need to learn and know how to teach them. Lemons-Aid’s materials are top-notch, organized, and clear for students and parents to understand. We are especially skilled at breaking down a complicated process into understandable parts. Further, explicit instruction is “a structured, systematic, and effective methodology for teaching academic skills. It is called explicit because it is an unambiguous and direct approach to teaching that includes both instructional design and delivery procedures. Explicit instruction is characterized by a series of supports or scaffolds, whereby students are guided through the learning process with clear statements about the purpose and rationale for learning the new skill, clear explanations and demonstrations of the instructional target, and supported practice with feedback until independent mastery has been achieved.”
- Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching by Anita L. Archer and Charles A. Hughes.
Anita Archer trained Mrs. Lemons in workshops, and it changed her teaching. Read a little more about the research behind explicit teaching here and here.
STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY = ACHIEVEMENT: Students master skills with us and make gains. We have a high degree of accountability. Since we make promises here and parents are paying good money, we understand you trust us to work! Students have to work too, and let’s be honest: they’re kids and don’t always want to. We push it. We teach them how to stay engaged, we cold-call on kids, we tell them to use the chatbox, and we want them to use emojis! If they are resistant, we contact the student through the teacher tab first. If that doesn’t work, we call in the big guns–Mom and Dad. We want kids to learn. We don’t want them to pass through our classes without gaining skills and doing great learning.
DO HARD THINGS. Boost your confidence, master new skills, learn new concepts. This takes a commitment to do hard things. Like the standards we have for our teachers, we also expect our learners to do hard things, whether that means they stand firm in their convictions, learn geometry, write an essay, or give an oral presentation. You can do hard things!
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS: To balance our high expectations for their learning and behavior, we build relationships with them. We want them to know we care about and know them. We’ll ask about their play last weekend or the new trick they’re trying to master on the skateboard. We also want students to get to know each other and encourage community engagement.
DEPENDABLE: Multiple teachers are teaching this class, and we have an entire year of lessons planned and scheduled. Since we are a mission-driven organization, we protect our brand and the relationships with our families. We are accountable to our learners. When things come up for teachers, we work to get substitutes and do everything we can before canceling a class. We do not like canceling or changing, and we often teach classes at a loss to give others a chance to join. We have limits, of course, but we are not flippant or irresponsible about canceling! When things come up for students, since we have multiple sections, they can transfer from section to section. All our teachers teach the same content the same week, giving families even more flexibility!
TEACHER FEEDBACK: The back-and-forth work between a student and teacher significantly benefits a student if done well. We follow best practices in designing class time, assignments, and routines. According to Pennington Publishing, effective writing feedback (or grading) is:
- Specific, not general
- Immediate, not postponed
- Routine with a revision / feedback cycle
- Explanatory
- The right amount
- Targeted to the most critical issues
- Varied (written, audio, and video comments)
- Holding students accountable
WORKSHOP TIME: We use “workshop time” so students will work while the teacher answers questions, gets them started, and holds them accountable. In a writing class, the teacher “visits” learners on their Google Documents and watches and helps them write. The immediacy of the feedback/revision cycle with the instructor allows writers to improve rapidly. Additionally, once we started using this method in writing classes, we saw nearly a 100% completion rate in student essays!
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS: Students need graphic organizers to help them see the structure and breakdown of a concept or process. For example, we use them to help learners understand how to write a paragraph or essay and to use the writing process. This is how they learn to develop coherent ideas. They don’t figure out how to do this magically; the graphic organizers and the intentional, explicit teaching help them learn the skills!
STUDENT MASTERY: Each class includes explicit, direct instruction with teacher modeling. Students are guided toward mastery of skills and understandings to grasp the concepts and become independent. Students are held to a high standard of academic work, including often ignored skills like the use of grammar and neatness in math.
STUDY THE BEAUTIFUL
We are surrounded by the mediocre, which is not good! We see this in expectations at some schools, the poor customer service at a store, and even architecture like in a gray, uninspiring complex of high-occupancy housing.
In contrast, we are surrounded by the beautiful, which is good! We see the beautiful in classic literature, music, and beautiful architecture like pictured here.
The mediocre demoralizes learners while the beautiful inspires.
At Lemons-Aid Learning, we study the beautiful: classic literature, artful sentence construction, art, poetry, maths, God’s hand in all of history, and God’s very creation. His creation glorifies Him, and in our study of all content areas, we learn about who God is.
We do not compromise. This means we don’t choose a graphic novel of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We read the original play. We know how to make the complexity and beauty of classic study approachable and understandable to a modern audience. It’s more difficult, but worth the effort!
CUSTOMER SERVICE
We serve the Lord and we work hard for families. We work to give quick responses to questions, authentic and careful feedback, and to solve any conflict. As home educators ourselves, familiar with the joys and struggles of teaching our own children, we can relate! We are supporting families, equipping learners, and serving Christ. We are 100% devoted to Him and to you!
To read more about our teaching and learning methods, read our blogs, written by our teachers and staff.
The Lemons-Aid Team
Lemons-Aid teachers have a few things in common.
❤️ They love their students and value each of their unique strengths and personalities that make our classes special. Our classes can be described as fun, personal, academic, challenging, and supportive.
🤩 We work to keep learners engaged, so there is always a degree of student accountability for their attention and focus, whether that be through asking them direct questions or by using the chatbox.
💭 We know all kids can learn, but sometimes things are hard! To support students, we teach them how to develop effective thinking and learning habits that will bring them success in class and in life.
🌟 Building relationships with students so they know we care about them helps us balance the high expectations we have for them regarding their effort, work quality, and behavior. Our students are encouraged, cared for, and they achieve!
KENDRA MANCUSO: Math
#energetic, #caring, #blessed, #organized, #experienced
Mrs. Mancuso’s favorite book of the Bible is James. This book is filled with wisdom, instructions and encouragement for believers. James exhorts believers to grow in their faith and maturity. Mrs. Mancuso remembers James 1:2-4 when she encounters trials; “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Mrs. Mancuso earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from University of Northwestern – St. Paul. She has over 20 years of experience as a private math tutor. Mrs. Mancuso has taught in a private high school setting and as an adjunct at a university. She has taught math levels ranging from upper elementary to college level. She has taught in both a classroom setting and as a private math tutor. Mrs. Mancuso engages her students in her lessons by asking lots of questions. These questions help students discover new concepts, remember old skills and build a strong foundation in math. Her classroom is interactive and exciting for students. When Mrs. Mancuso isn’t teaching or working, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and sons. She loves to spend time outside hiking, being on the water, or just hanging out in the fresh air.
Christian Teachers on Outschool
Lemons-Aid Coupon Code:
We want to serve you on Lemons-Aid! For first-time learners on Lemons-Aid, you can use the coupon code Newbie20 to get $20 off your first class.
Outschool Coupon Code:
If the schedule on this platform doesn’t work for you, we will happily teach you on Outschool, but we can’t talk about Jesus. Use this referral code and get $20 off your first class on Outschool: LEMONSA2020
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Request a New Section
Want to see this class offered at another time? Send a request, and we’ll see what we can do!