Day 67: Absolute Value and Ordering Integers

6th Grade Math Standards: 6.NS.6 Understand a rational number as a point on the number line. Extend number line diagrams and coordinate axes familiar from previous grades to represent points on the line and in the plane with negative number coordinates. a. Recognize opposite signs of numbers as indicating locations on opposite sides of 0 on the number line; recognize that the opposite of the opposite of a number is the number itself, e.g., –(–3) = 3, and that 0 is its own opposite. b. Understand signs of numbers in ordered pairs as indicating locations in quadrants of the coordinate plane; recognize that when two ordered pairs differ only by signs, the locations of the points are related by reflections across one or both axes. c. Find and position integers and other rational numbers on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational numbers on a coordinate plane. 7.

6.NS.7 Understand ordering and absolute value of rational numbers. a. Interpret statements of inequality as statements about the relative positions of two numbers on a number line diagram. For example, interpret –3 > –7 as a statement that –3 is located to the right of –7 on a number line oriented from left to right. b. Write, interpret, and explain statements of order for rational numbers in real-world contexts. For example, write –3o C > –7o C to express the fact that –3o C is warmer than –7o C. c. Understand the absolute value of a rational number as its distance from 0 on the number line; interpret absolute value as magnitude for a positive or negative quantity in a real-world situation. For example, for an account balance of –30 dollars, write |–30| = 30 to describe the size of the debt in dollars. d. Distinguish comparisons of absolute value from statements about order. For example, recognize that an account balance less than –30 dollars represents a debt greater than 30 dollars.

Objective: Evaluate expressions with absolute value brackets; define what zero means in the context of a real world problem; order integers; analyze why one integer is greater than another integer

Agenda:

1. Self-Assessment
2. QSSQ 
3. Review the quiz 
4. Review the integers homework practice 
5. Introduce absolute value (Dunkin Donuts)
6. Students do absolute value practice independently
7. Skit with ordering integers
8. Comparing and ordering integer notes
9. Comparing and ordering integer practice

Assessment: At the end of each class, students were able to start homework assignments as I circumvented the room; as part of the self-assessments students stated whether they made simple mistakes or did not understand concepts from the quiz

Glass Half-Full: Despite the high number of items on the agenda, today's lessons had a good flow to them. Each concept can keep be explained and even analyzed quickly. When I told students they would have another quiz tomorrow, they were a little shocked since that would mean only two days between quizzes, but this was truly all that was necessary.

Regrets: The only problem with these lessons is that I do not cover ordering of rational numbers and really do not touch the term rational numbers in these lessons. Students had some difficulty when ordering all negative numbers, but once I pointed it out to them, they were quick to see this in future problems. Numbers such as -5.75 on a number line are a little more troublesome for many students though and I failed to really hit that today.