This Monday is great!
NO SCHOOL!
What a nice day off.
Thank you Martin Luther King!
This summer a discussion with Susan over at Middle School OCD, led to teaching using a vertical number line. I think the idea of teaching a number line vertically just makes sense. I was all in! My thought was to print, laminate and hang it in my room. Then reality hit and it dawned on me that my room does not have 12 foot ceilings. So, it has sat in a folder for the school year so far. Check out Susan's new and improved vertical number line here. Click here for student vertical numbers lines.
As I was planning a lesson on positive and negative integers I really wanted a hands on activity. So, we moved our desks and threw this number line on the floor. Let me just point out, that changing the desk causes such a stir. They were either excited like it was a party or seriously confused because they weren't sure where to sit.
My students were the "counters" and we moved along the number line back and forth showing positive and negative addition and subtraction.
My students loved it! I think they just liked the change of pace.
We worked on that for a while. Sorry, no pictures of those big kids all over the line. I was teaching people!
We completed the foldable I made last week. They actually liked the fill in the blank part.
Earlier in the year we had included a vertical number line in our binder. I was sure to remind students of that resource. The ones who needed it, used it. Those who didn't, knew it was there. (what I love about math notebooks)
The next day we practiced using the rules for integers with task cards. I got this bundle from Amy Alvis. It fit my needs PERFECTLY!
I had them fold a piece of paper into eighths. Label the four operations, two on the front and two on the back. I gave each group four cards from each operation. They had to complete 16 cards total. I loved hearing the Math talk as they worked through their problems. And this was on a Friday! They rocked it!
For Mathematical Monday, I Heart Recess is having a FREE Linky Party. Be sure to check out the great deals over there!
