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    The Highs and Lows of Positive and Negative Numbers

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    Subject: Math

    Lesson Length: 30 - 45 mins

    Topic: The Number System; Positive and Negative Numbers

    Grade Level: 6

    Standards / Framework:

    Brief Description: In this lesson, students will describe the elevations and temperatures of locations using positive and negative numbers.

    Know Before You Start: Students should understand the relationship of positive and negative numbers with their relationship to zero. This lesson would integrate well with a geography unit.

    Hook:

    • Read and discuss the sample comic.
      • Do you think there’s a relationship between temperature and elevation?
      • What are some other ways negative and positive numbers can be used?

    Activity:

    • Have students choose a location around the world that meets one or both of the following criteria:

      • Elevations above and below sea level.

      • Experiences high and low temperatures that include negatives.

    • Have them research their chosen location in order to find specific positive and negative temperatures and/or elevations. 

    • Using the sample comic as a guide, have students create a two-to-three-panel comic explaining the high and low temperatures and elevation above and/or below sea level.

    Closure:

    • Have students rotate around the room in a gallery walk to read each other’s comics. This will allow them to experience more negative numbers in context and learn about different places around the world.

    Differentiation:

    • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
    • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.

    • Provide specific locations for students as needed.

    • Display student comic expectations.

    Resources:

    • Comic to print or display: Comic.

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