This session will guide educators through the powerful Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) progression, with a focus on Expressions and Equations. Participants will learn how to effectively scaffold learning by transitioning students from hands-on, concrete experiences to visual representations, and finally to abstract mathematical concepts. Through collaborative activities and practical examples, we will explore how different models—such as tape diagrams and hanger diagrams—evolve from early arithmetic reasoning to more complex algebraic thinking, and how these models can be used to support students' understanding of equations across grades 3–8.
