ALGEBRA 1

🌱 UNIT 1 GAME — “Garden of Variables” (PLAY Method)
🎯 Mission

Become the Master Gardener by collecting 7 Vocabulary Seeds:
Variable, Constant, Expression, Equation, Input, Output, Relationship

Every time you use a word correctly, you earn coins and level up your garden.

P — PLOT (Story Setup)

You enter a garden world called Green Valley.
The garden is alive… and it responds to your choices.

But the garden has a problem:

A sneaky weed villain named Mr. Confusion keeps mixing up the rules:

He says everything is a variable.

He puts equal signs where they don’t belong.

He calls results “inputs.”

Your job: fix the garden by beating 7 mini-levels.

L — LEVELS (Mini-Game Challenges)
🌼 Level 1: Variable Vault

Rule: Pick what can change.
Choices:
A) coins you earn
B) seed cost = 5 coins
C) time you play

✅ Correct picks: A and C
🏆 You earn: +2 coins
📌 You unlock: VOCAB SEED #1: Variable
Definition (game): “It can change while you play.”

🧱 Level 2: Constant Castle

Rule: Find what stays the same (the “unchanging stone”).
Question: If seeds always cost 5 coins, what is the constant?

✅ Answer: 5
🏆 You earn: +1 coin
📌 Unlock: VOCAB SEED #2: Constant
Definition (game): “Same price, same rule, same forever.”

🧩 Level 3: Expression Forest

Rule: Expressions are “rule spells” with NO equal sign.

Pick the expression:

coins = 3 × time

3 × time

total plants = plants + bonus

✅ Answer: 2) 3 × time
🏆 You earn: +1 coin
📌 Unlock: VOCAB SEED #3: Expression
Definition (game): “A math rule spell—no balance sign.”

⚖️ Level 4: Equation Bridge

Rule: An equation is a balance bridge with an equal sign.

Which is the equation?
A) 3 × time
B) coins = 3 × time

✅ Answer: B
🏆 You earn: +1 coin
📌 Unlock: VOCAB SEED #4: Equation
Definition (game): “Two sides balanced with =”

🎮 Level 5: Input Control Panel

Rule: Inputs are what YOU choose.

You choose:

time played = ___ minutes

seeds planted = ___

✅ Those blanks are inputs.
🏆 You earn: +1 coin
📌 Unlock: VOCAB SEED #5: Input
Definition (game): “Your choice. Your control.”

📦 Level 6: Output Treasure Chest

Rule: Outputs are what the game gives you AFTER your input.

If you play 4 minutes and the rule is coins = 3 × time, what’s the output?

Compute: 3 × 4 = 12
✅ Output: 12 coins
🏆 You earn: +2 coins
📌 Unlock: VOCAB SEED #6: Output
Definition (game): “The result the game gives back.”

🔗 Level 7: Relationship River

Rule: Relationship = how two things move together.

Choose the best relationship:
A) More time → more coins
B) More time → fewer coins
C) Time doesn’t matter

✅ Answer: A
🏆 You earn: +1 coin
📌 Unlock: VOCAB SEED #7: Relationship
Definition (game): “How inputs and outputs connect.”

A — ACTION (Do It Like a Real Game)
🎲 QUICK PLAY ROUND (Teacher says, student answers fast)

Say the word for each:

“Coins can go up or down.” → _____

“Seeds always cost 5.” → _____

“3 × time” → _____

“coins = 3 × time” → _____

“Time played (what you pick)” → _____

“Coins earned (what you get)” → _____

“More time means more coins” → _____

(Answer key: Variable, Constant, Expression, Equation, Input, Output, Relationship)

Y — YOU WIN (Rewards + Hook)
🏆 Victory Screen

You just repaired the Garden Rules and defeated Mr. Confusion.

✅ You now have the 7 Vocabulary Seeds
💰 Total coins earned: 9 coins
🌿 Next unlock: “Planting Algebra Seeds” (using letters like x and y)