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Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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 −(−21). → 21Prompt: −(…) means “the opposite of”.
  2. Simplify −(−32). → 32Prompt: −(…) means “the opposite of”.
  3. Simplify −(−(−31)). → -31Prompt: −(…) means “the opposite of”.

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 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.
  1. Write an integer for this: a team loses 77 points. → -77Prompt: Decide whether this is a gain/up/above (positive) or a loss/down/below (negative).
  2. If +12 means gaining 12 followers, what does −12 mean? (losing 12 followers / gaining 24 followers / gaining 12 followers / no change in followers) → losing 12 followersPrompt: A negative number describes the opposite direction or change.

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.
  1. Write an integer for this: a team loses 78 points. → -78Prompt: Decide whether this is a gain/up/above (positive) or a loss/down/below (negative).
  2. We use integers for temperature in °C. What does 0 stand for? (the ground floor / the freezing point of water / sea level / no money in the account and no money owed) → the freezing point of waterPrompt: Zero is the reference point: not above and not below.

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

    We use integers for bank balance. 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

  2. Question 2

    Write an integer for this: the temperature drops 35 degrees.

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    If +30 means 30 m above sea level, what does −30 mean?

    • A. 30 m above sea level
    • B. 30 m below sea level
    • C. sea level
    • D. 60 m below sea level

  4. Question 4

    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. the ground floor
    • C. sea level
    • D. the freezing point of water

  5. Question 5

    Write an integer for this: a hiker is 64 m above sea level.

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    If +59 means gaining 59 followers, what does −59 mean?

    • A. no change in followers
    • B. gaining 118 followers
    • C. losing 59 followers
    • D. gaining 59 followers

  7. Question 7

    We use integers for temperature in °C. What does 0 stand for?

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

  8. Question 8

    Write an integer for this: the temperature drops 73 degrees.

    Answer

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Answer key: Describe real situations with positive and negative numbers

  1. 1. B. no money in the account and no money owed

  2. 2. -35

  3. 3. B. 30 m below sea level

  4. 4. B. the ground floor

  5. 5. 64

  6. 6. C. losing 59 followers

  7. 7. B. the freezing point of water

  8. 8. -73