Proportional reasoning is the cornerstone of algebra and upper level mathematics. In the 6^th grade students are tasked with developing this new form of thinking to solve problems involving ratios, rates, and proportional relationships. In years past, I have seen my students work through a unit on ratios and proportions and develop nothing more than a set of rules and procedures for identifying and naming ratios and solving for missing values in proportions rather than a more complete understanding of proportional relationships and their significance to problem solving. In this unit I lay out a sequence of essential understandings that are necessary to develop robust and flexible proportional reasoning. To reach these understandings, this unit discusses key strategies students will employ to work through a purposefully sequenced, cohesive set of problems that provide a foundation for students to develop sound proportional reasoning.

(Developed for Mathematics, grade 6; recommended for Mathematics, grades 6-8)