Integer Adventures

Objective

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able to confidently add positive and negative integers and understand the concept behind it according to the Grade 7 California Common Core State Standards.

Curriculum Standards Addressed

• California Common Core State Standards for Mathematics:
  • Standard: 7.NS.1.d: Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions to add and subtract rational numbers; represent addition and subtraction on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram.

Lesson Duration

• Total Time: 30 minutes

Materials

• Whiteboard and markers
• Worksheets with integer addition problems (as outlined below)
• Number line for each student
• Counters (small objects like beans or stones)

Lesson Structure

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Interactive Question: “What happens when we add a positive and a negative number?”
• Start by discussing the number line: how it’s used to represent both positive and negative numbers. Use physical movement: walk along a line drawn on the floor to demonstrate adding positive numbers (moving right) and negative numbers (moving left).

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

1. Demonstration with Counters:

   • Use counters to visually show how numbers are added. For example, 3 + (-1):
     • Place 3 counters representing positive on the left.
     • Add 1 negative counter, removing one positive counter for every negative counter added.
     • Result: 2 remaining positive counters (Answer: 2).

2. Number Line Exercise:

   • Provide students with personal number lines.
   • Demonstrate a couple of problems, guiding students to use their number lines to add integers, emphasizing movements to the right or left.

Independent Practice (10 minutes)

• Worksheet Activity: Distribute the worksheet with the following 10 questions to each student. Ask them to solve using their number lines:

  1. (5 + (-3))
  2. (-7 + 4)
  3. (-2 + (-6))
  4. (8 + (-11))
  5. (-1 + 5)
  6. (-4 + 9)
  7. (6 + (-2))
  8. (-9 + 12)
  9. (0 + (-5))
  10. (-3 + 3)

• Encourage students to think aloud about their strategies and confirm their results with peers if needed.

Conclusion (5 minutes)

• Review key concepts: When you add a negative number, you’re essentially subtracting, and when you move in the direction of the number line, it shows the result of your addition.
• Quick review game: "What is the result?"
  • Students stand up and "become" numbers on a visible line in class. As you call out problems, they "move" to where the solution lies on the line.

Assessment

• Observe students during guided practice and independent practice, taking notes on participation and accuracy.
• Collect worksheets to assess individual understanding and provide feedback.

Reflection

• Ask students: What new strategies did you learn today? What was challenging about adding negative numbers?

By creating an active, participatory environment within a 30-minute window, students have the opportunity to grasp integer addition in a concrete and engaging manner aligned with state standards.