What Goes in the Middle? A Curriculum Unit on Axioms, Conjectures and Logical Thinking

This unit is planned to be taught at the beginning of eighth grade algebra. The goal of its activities is to lay a foundation for understanding proof in mathematics. The activities will help students understand what axioms and theorems are, how conjectures are posed, and how logical thinking answers questions. The unit could also be taught to willing sixth or seventh graders or high school algebra students.