Module 1 Counting and understanding number
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Can I position positive and negative numbers on a number line and find the difference between them?

Example review questions

  • Use a counting stick. Point to parts of the counting stick and ask questions such as:
    • If the central number is zero where would you place -3 on the counting stick?
    • What is the number at the far left if the number at the far right is 6?
    • What happens to the number at the far left if I change the number at the far right to 5? To -5? To 0?

    A counting stick
  • What is the difference between these pairs of temperatures?
    • -7 °C and 14 °C
    • 21 °C and -11 °C
    • -13 °C and -2 °C
  • In the morning the temperature was –5 °C and in the afternoon it was 5 °C. Describe the change in temperature.

Teaching guidance

This teaching guidance document suggests some of the key vocabulary, models, images and practical equipment that children should experience and be able to use. It also includes some teaching tips to provide a few starting points for ways of supporting children with this area of mathematics.

PDF file Can I position positive and negative numbers on a number line and find the difference between them? - teaching guidance | 45KB new window

Consolidation and practice

These resources are to support children in guided or independent work. Roll over the highlighted resources for a description.

DOC file How to use thermometer ITP | 88KB new window

SWF file Thermometer ITP | 58KB new window

PDF file How to use decimal number line ITP | 128KB new window

SWF file Decimal number line ITP | 37KB new window

PDF file How to use number line ITP | 182KB new window

SWF file Number line ITP | 47KB new window

PDF file Springboard 7, Unit 2, Section 3 Positive and negative numbers | 1.6MB new window

Thermometer

itp_thermometer.png

This interactive teaching program (ITP) is an ICT-based tool to support the exploration of number and measures. Thermometer ITP allows the child or teacher to display a thermometer on which the scale, range and interval markers can be changed. It can be used to develop children's understanding of scales and negative numbers in the context of temperature.

Decimal number line

itp_decimal_number_line.png

This interactive teaching program (ITP) is an ICT-based tool to support the exploration of place value within numbers. Decimal number line ITP allows the child or teacher to select an interval from a given number line and show that interval divided into ten equal parts but on a bigger scale, which can then be repeated.

Number line

itp_number_line.png

This interactive teaching program (ITP) is an ICT-based tool to support the exploration of number. Number line ITP allows the child or teacher to display a range of numbers from minus 50 up to 500. Children can estimate a number on the number line, explore the concept of difference between two given numbers and demonstrate their calculation strategies.

Opportunities to use and apply

Possible contexts include:

  • looking in holiday brochures or on the internet for temperatures from around the world and then representing these on a number line;
  • using credits and debits in a bank account or the transactions of a company;
  • finding the temperature in different cities, from newspapers or the internet, on the same day, and comparing and ordering these temperatures and finding differences between them.

Confirming learning

Ask probing questions such as:

  • The temperature in Rome is four degrees. The temperature in York is seven degrees lower than that in Rome. Can you mark these temperatures on a number line?
  • Tell me two temperatures that lie between 0 °C and –8 °C. Which is higher? How do you know? What is the difference between the higher temperature and –8 °C?
  • The difference between two numbers is 18 and one of them is negative. What could the two numbers be?