Math lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 45 minutes
Solve integer problems about temperature, height and money
Number sense
CCSS 7.NS.A.1CCSS 7.NS.A.3England: KS3 NumberEngland: GCSE Foundation Number
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Solve integer problems about temperature, height and money.
- 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: Subtract integers by adding the opposite
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 (Subtract integers by adding the opposite). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- 21 − (−14) = ? → 35Prompt: Subtracting a negative is the same as adding a positive.
- −40 − 7 = ? → -47Prompt: Rewrite as −40 + (−7).
- Fatima says −5 − (−4) = −9. What is the correct answer? → -1Prompt: Fatima treated “− (−4)” as adding −4.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Solve integer problems about temperature, height and money. 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: At night a weather station recorded −11 °C. The next afternoon it recorded 10 °C. By how many degrees did the temperature rise?
- Step 1: 10 − (−11) = 21
- Answer: 21
- 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.
- At night a weather station recorded −2 °C. The next afternoon it recorded 16 °C. By how many degrees did the temperature rise? → 18Prompt: Rise = later temperature − earlier temperature.
- Ana dives from a cliff 50 m above sea level and reaches 36 m below sea level (−36 m). How far did Ana travel down, in m? → 86Prompt: Find the difference between the two heights.
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.
- Kai dives from a cliff 23 m above sea level and reaches 18 m below sea level (−18 m). How far did Kai travel down, in m? → 41Prompt: Find the difference between the two heights.
- At night a weather station recorded −5 °C. The next afternoon it recorded −3 °C. By how many degrees did the temperature rise? → 2Prompt: Rise = later temperature − earlier temperature.
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: Subtract integers by adding the opposite.
- 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-7.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder