Mathematical Architects · Pacing Guide

Algebra II Pacing

Module by module across the Beta four-day calendar — ~144 instructional days, mapped to TEKS and grading periods.

31GP1 Days
Aug 19 – Oct 8
36GP2 Days
Oct 12 – Dec 17
36GP3 Days
Jan 5 – Mar 4
40GP4 Days
Mar 15 – May 20
Teaching Approach · Foundation-First, Integrated Vertically Bluebonnet supplies the vertical coherence — linear relationships feed quadratics, which feed the structure work and the function families beyond. Inside that spine I teach foundation-first: activate the prior skill the new topic leans on, work through several examples together before independent practice, then release gradually. Last year's 61-scholar reflection backs it — review games, real-life examples, and step-by-step explanation helped most, and the top ask was “more examples before independent work.” The pacing below leaves room to slow down, check for understanding, and review before each assessment.
1 · Activate prior knowledge 2 · Guided worked examples 3 · Gradual release 4 · Check & review before the test
How This Pacing Was Built

The publisher's Bluebonnet Learning sequence allots 150 instructional days. The Beta four-day calendar provides approximately 144 instructional days (GP1 31 + GP2 36 + GP3 36 + GP4 40, per the 2026–2027 calendar). We compress ~6 days by trimming each module's built-in review/buffer and using the curriculum's reduced-day topic options — no TEKS are dropped. Compressed module totals: M1 22 · M2 23 · M3 31 · M4 38 · M5 30 = 144. Day spans below are cumulative across the year.

Readiness Core, heavily-assessed standard Supporting Reinforces / extends a readiness standard No STAAR EOC for Algebra II — assessed locally via teacher-built unit tests & benchmarks.
Topic Days Cumulative TEKS Emphasis Target GP
Module 1 — Extending Linear Relationships   22 days
Absolute Value Functions & Equations 101–10 2A.2A, 2A.6C–F, 2A.7I Readiness GP1
Applications of Linear Relationships 1211–22 2A.2B, 2A.2C, 2A.3A, 2A.3B, 2A.3E–G Readiness GP1
Module 2 — Exploring Quadratic Functions   23 days
Quadratic Functions & Equations 1223–34 2A.3A, 2A.3B, 2A.4A, 2A.4B, 2A.4D, 2A.4F, 2A.7A, 2A.7B Readiness GP1 → GP2
Applications of Quadratics 1135–45 2A.3A, 2A.3C, 2A.3D, 2A.4B, 2A.4E, 2A.4H, 2A.8A–C Readiness GP2
Module 3 — Analyzing Structure   31 days
Composing & Decomposing Functions 1146–56 2A.2A, 2A.4F, 2A.7B, 2A.7I, 2A.8A Supporting GP2
Attributes of Cubic Functions 957–65 2A.2A, 2A.6A, 2A.7I Supporting GP2
Relating Factors & Zeros 1166–76 2A.2A, 2A.4F, 2A.7B–E Readiness GP2 → GP3
Module 4 — Extending Beyond Polynomials   38 days
Rational Functions 1977–95 2A.2A, 2A.6G–L, 2A.7C, 2A.7E, 2A.7F, 2A.7I Readiness GP3
Radical Functions 1196–106 2A.2A–D, 2A.4C, 2A.6A, 2A.7I Supporting GP3 → GP4
Radical Equations 8107–114 2A.2C, 2A.4E–G, 2A.6B, 2A.7G, 2A.7H Readiness GP4
Module 5 — Exploring Exponentials & Logarithms   30 days
Exponential & Logarithmic Functions 19115–133 2A.2A–C, 2A.5A–C, 2A.7I, 2A.8A–C Readiness GP4
Exponential & Logarithmic Equations 11134–144 2A.5B–E, 2A.8A–C Readiness GP4

Emphasis (Readiness vs. Supporting) reflects the typical TEKS classification for Algebra II content; because there is no STAAR EOC, the local assessment plan determines final weighting. Grading-period targets are planning guides — actual transitions shift slightly with the live calendar (make-up Fridays, breaks). One first-day scholar session (Aug 18) sits outside the four grading-period windows, so the four GP budgets sum to 143 while the year totals 144 instructional days.


Assessment Calendar

Daily Do Now, mid-module checkpoints, end-of-module unit tests, and a mid-year benchmark — mapped to the calendar. Algebra II has no STAAR EOC, so every assessment is teacher-built and locally assessed.

Daily

Do Now · warm-up

A 3–5 minute spiral warm-up opens every class — one item on yesterday's skill, one on a prior readiness standard. It doubles as the daily check-for-understanding and flags re-teach needs early.

Mid-module

Checkpoint · low-stakes

A short formative checkpoint at each module's midpoint (between topics). Lightly weighted — it tells us whether to keep moving or add a review-game day before the unit test.

End of module

Unit Test · graded

A cumulative unit test closes each module, scheduled so the day before is a deliberate review-game / re-teach day — honoring the “more time before assessments” request.

Module · Unit Test Recommended test window Mid-module checkpoint Grading period
M1 · Extending Linear Relationships Week of Oct 5–8 ~Sep 21 (after Absolute Value) GP1 · before Oct 8 close
M2 · Exploring Quadratic Functions Week of Nov 16–19 ~Oct 26 (after Quadratic Functions) GP1→GP2 · test in GP2
Benchmark · Mid-year diagnostic Week of Feb 1–4 Cumulative M1–M3 (functions + structure) GP3 · local diagnostic
M3 · Analyzing Structure Week of Jan 19–22 ~Dec 7 (after Composing & Decomposing) GP2→GP3 · test in GP3
M4 · Extending Beyond Polynomials Week of Apr 12–15 ~Mar 22 (after Rational Functions) GP3→GP4 · test in GP4
M5 · Exponentials & Logarithms Week of May 17–20 ~May 3 (after Exp. & Log. Functions) GP4 · closes the year

Test windows land in the last days of each module so the prior session can be a review-game / re-teach day. The mid-year benchmark (early Feb) is a cumulative diagnostic; M3's longer span means its test sits just inside GP3. All windows are planning targets — shift them a few days with make-up Fridays and breaks on the live calendar.


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