---
title: The Highs and Lows of Positive and Negative Numbers
description: In this lesson, students will describe the elevations and temperatures of locations using positive and negative numbers.
image: https://ideas.pixton.com/hubfs/the_highs_lows_of_positive_negative_numbers-001.png
---

**Subject: Math**

**Lesson Length: 30 - 45 mins**

**Topic: The Number System; Positive and Negative Numbers**

**Grade Level: 6**

**Standards / Framework: **

- [CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.5](https://learning.ccsso.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Math_Standards1.pdf)

**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:
- 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](https://share.pixton.com/qgct1sd).

**Suggested Content:**

- [![](https://img.pixton.com/content-pack/1720501139696390144/thumbnail.png) Beach ](https://content.pixton.com/beach)
- [![](https://img.pixton.com/content-pack/1665077198387912704/thumbnail.png) National Parks ](https://content.pixton.com/national-parks)
- [![](https://ideas.pixton.com/hubfs/thumbnail-desert.png) Desert ](https://content.pixton.com/desert)
- [![](https://img.pixton.com/content-pack/1692653419912892416/thumbnail.png) Winter ](https://content.pixton.com/winter)

Assign Activity

## Related Ideas

[![](https://ideas.pixton.com/hubfs/guess_my_number-001.png)](https://ideas.pixton.com/guess-my-number)

### [Guess My Number](https://ideas.pixton.com/guess-my-number)

In this lesson, students will provide clues to the location of a mystery rational number on the number line.

[![](https://ideas.pixton.com/hubfs/the_good_the_bad_and_the_ugly-001-3.png)](https://ideas.pixton.com/analyzing-positive-and-negative-events-in-narratives)

### [Analyzing Positive and Negative Events in Narratives](https://ideas.pixton.com/analyzing-positive-and-negative-events-in-narratives)

Students will analyze a familiar narrative and explain positive and negative effects of events within the text.

[![](https://ideas.pixton.com/hubfs/represent_numbers_in_different_ways-001-2.png)](https://ideas.pixton.com/representing-numbers-in-different-ways)

### [Representing Numbers in Different Ways](https://ideas.pixton.com/representing-numbers-in-different-ways)

Students will learn to represent numbers in different ways by creating a number comic.