Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 minutes
Distance between two integers
Number sense
CCSS 6.NS.C.8CCSS 7.NS.A.1.CEngland: KS3 Number
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Distance between two integers.
- 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: Work with absolute value
Leads to: Lengths, perimeters and areas from coordinates; Mean absolute deviation (MAD)
Materials: Place value chart, Base-ten blocks or a number line, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Work with absolute value). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- |20| − |−12| = ? → 8Prompt: Find each absolute value first: its distance from 0.
- Which number has the greatest absolute value? 15, 8, −20, 21 (−20 / 15 / 8 / 21) → 21Prompt: Ignore the signs: which number is furthest from 0?
- Felix's game-shop account balance is −87 credits. A friend's balance is −97 credits. Who owes more? (Felix / The friend) → The friendPrompt: A negative balance is money owed. The size of the debt is the absolute value.
Hook · 6 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Distance between two integers. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: A drone hovers at 31 m above sea level and a submarine robot sits at 22 m below sea level (−22 m). What is the vertical distance between them, in metres?
- Step 1: 31 − (−22) = 31 + 22 = 53
- Answer: 53
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- A kite flies at 51 m above sea level and a turtle swims at 39 m below sea level (−39 m). What is the vertical distance between them, in metres? → 90Prompt: Sea level is 0.
- How far apart are −5 and −11? → 6Prompt: Both numbers are on the same side of 0.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- A kite flies at 14 m above sea level and a turtle swims at 35 m below sea level (−35 m). What is the vertical distance between them, in metres? → 49Prompt: Sea level is 0.
- How far apart are −10 and −21? → 11Prompt: Both numbers are on the same side of 0.
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: Work with absolute value.
- 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
- Move on to: Lengths, perimeters and areas from coordinates; Mean absolute deviation (MAD).
- 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