At a Glance:
| Grades: | 6 |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Math |
| Topic: | The Number System; Positive and Negative Numbers |
| Lesson Length: | 30 - 45 mins |
Standards / Framework:
What will students learn in this activity?
In this lesson, students will describe the elevations and temperatures of locations using positive and negative numbers.
What should students know before this activity?
Students should understand the relationship of positive and negative numbers with their relationship to zero. This lesson would integrate well with a geography unit.
How can teachers introduce this lesson?
- 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?
What will students do?
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Have students choose a location around the world that meets one or both of the following criteria:
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Elevations above and below sea level.
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Experiences high and low temperatures that include negatives.
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Have them research their chosen location in order to find specific positive and negative temperatures and/or elevations.
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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.
How can teachers wrap up the lesson?
- 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.
How can teachers differentiate this activity?
- Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
- Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
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Provide specific locations for students as needed.
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Display student comic expectations.


