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Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 45 minutes

Describe real situations with positive and negative numbers

Number sense

CCSS 6.NS.C.5England: KS3 Number

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Describe real situations with positive and negative numbers.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Opposite numbers and zero

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Place value chart, Base-ten blocks or a number line, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Opposite numbers and zero). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Simplify −(−(−28)). → -28Prompt: −(…) means “the opposite of”.
  2. Simplify −(−(−39)). → -39Prompt: −(…) means “the opposite of”.
  3. Simplify −(−(−32)). → -32Prompt: −(…) means “the opposite of”.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
  • Share the objective: Describe real situations with positive and negative numbers. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Write an integer for this: a team loses 188 points.
  • Step 1: It is negative: −188.
  • Answer: -188
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Write an integer for this: a lift goes down 139 floors. → -139Prompt: Decide whether this is a gain/up/above (positive) or a loss/down/below (negative).
  2. If +13 means 13 m above sea level, what does −13 mean? (13 m above sea level / sea level / 26 m below sea level / 13 m below sea level) → 13 m below sea levelPrompt: A negative number describes the opposite direction or change.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. If +66 means gaining 66 followers, what does −66 mean? (losing 66 followers / gaining 66 followers / no change in followers / gaining 132 followers) → losing 66 followersPrompt: A negative number describes the opposite direction or change.
  2. Write an integer for this: 140 dollars is taken out of a bank account. → -140Prompt: Decide whether this is a gain/up/above (positive) or a loss/down/below (negative).

Watch out for

  • Reading 1,045 as one thousand four hundred five: point to each place and say its value.
  • Thinking a longer number is always bigger, even with decimals (0.45 vs 0.5).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Opposite numbers and zero.
  • Use concrete materials: place value chart.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-6.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Describe real situations with positive and negative numbers

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Write an integer for this: a lift goes down 82 floors.

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    We use integers for bank balance. What does 0 stand for?

    • A. no money in the account and no money owed
    • B. sea level
    • C. the ground floor
    • D. the freezing point of water

  3. Question 3

    If +33 means paying $33 into a savings account, what does −33 mean?

    • A. taking $33 out of the account
    • B. paying $66 into the account
    • C. an empty account
    • D. paying $33 into the account

  4. Question 4

    Write an integer for this: a hiker is 82 m above sea level.

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    We use integers for height above or below sea level. What does 0 stand for?

    • A. sea level
    • B. no money in the account and no money owed
    • C. the ground floor
    • D. the freezing point of water

  6. Question 6

    If +16 means paying $16 into a savings account, what does −16 mean?

    • A. an empty account
    • B. taking $16 out of the account
    • C. paying $16 into the account
    • D. paying $32 into the account

  7. Question 7

    Write an integer for this: 22 dollars is paid into a savings account.

    Answer

  8. Question 8

    We use integers for floors of a building (ground floor = 0). What does 0 stand for?

    • A. no money in the account and no money owed
    • B. sea level
    • C. the freezing point of water
    • D. the ground floor

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Answer key: Describe real situations with positive and negative numbers

  1. 1. -82

  2. 2. A. no money in the account and no money owed

  3. 3. A. taking $33 out of the account

  4. 4. 82

  5. 5. A. sea level

  6. 6. B. taking $16 out of the account

  7. 7. 22

  8. 8. D. the ground floor