Sheri Jones - Small Group Plan

Adding Rational numbers 7th Grade Math

Standard
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.NS.A.1.B
Understand p + q as the number located a distance |q| from p, in the positive or negative
direction depending on whether q is positive or negative. Show that a number and its opposite
have a sum of 0 (are additive inverses). Interpret sums of rational numbers by describing
real-world contexts.

Objective
I can add negative and positive numbers

Lesson Launch
I had $10 yesterday and I borrowed some money from Mr. Cauley to buy pizza for the Math
Counts Team which costs $30. How much money do I currently have (Hint I owe money to Mr.
Cauley)

Turn and talk When we add negative numbers to positive numbers do we always get a greater
value?

Group 1 (Students below grade level)

We are going to use two sided chips to add positive and negative numbers today. Yellow
represents positive and red represents negative. Let's all try to represent this problems 5 + -8
Students represent the problem.
Explain now we know that if I have a dollar and then I spend a dollar that equals what? Students
reply 0. So we know that a negative and positive always equals 0 so anytime we have a yellow
and a red that equals a zero pair. Turn and talk if we add zero to a number do we change it’s
value? Students will determine that o we do not

Ok great let’s remove the zero pairs. What is remaining? Students reply 3 reds. How would we
write 3 reds as an integer? Students reply -3
Ok but what if we have the problem -7 + 10. Can we use the chips to represent this problem?
Children use 7 red chips and 10 yellow chips. Children create zero pairs and remove them.
Children determine that the answer is +3.
Next example -4 +-3 children use all red chips. Be careful to catch students who try to make
zero pairs out of only red chips. Explain that we have 7 reds so the integer we write is -7.
Now we will watch a video to help us remember the rules
Have students work through a worksheet using integer chips.

Group 2 (Students on grade level)

We are going to use the numberline to determine our answers today and try to come up with
some rules for how to add integers. Our first problem is 3 +2 can someone come to the front
and model for me with a vector 3 on our number line. Student begins and 0 and moves 3 units
to the number 3 with a vector. Excellent now can someone demonstrate adding 2 on the
number line with another vector. A student draws a vector starting at 3 and ending at 5.
Excellent so this is the addition we are familiar with. Which direction do positive numbers move
on the number line? Forward.
Now what if we change those number to negatives and have -3 + -2 how would that change
things? Students draw the vectors backwards and determine the answer is -5. Turn and talk
what is similar and what is different about our answers? Students realize the numbers have the
same absolute value and the different is the signs. So what we have learned is that is we have
the same sign both positive or both negative we just add them up and keep the sign.
Now what will happen if the signs are different? Let’s try modeling on the number line 5 + -8.
Students start with the vector to 5. Excellent now turn and talk to discuss if we are adding a -8
will we move forward or backwards 8 units? Students determine that we will move backwards. A
student draws and vector from 5 to -3 on the number line. What is our answer? -3.
Let’s try to model the problem -7 + 10 on our number lines using vectors and I will check your
work. Student attempt the problem. We discuss answers and different opinions. Students
recognize the answer is +3. Stop and jot what operation are we actually using to add integers
with different signs? Students should answer subtraction. Discuss if there are misconceptions.
Turn and Talk how do we know if our sum will be positive or negative? Possible answers the
one with the greater absolute value determines the sign or the longer vector determines the
sign.
Now we will watch a video to help us remember the rules
Students work through the worksheet.

Group 3 (Advanced)
I know that each of you has already demonstrated mastery of adding integers, so today we are
going to practice adding rational numbers from word problems.
At the start of the month, the value of an investment was $48.45, By the end of the month, the
value of the investment changed by a loss of $13.80. What was the value, in dollars, of the
investment at the end of the month?
Turn and talk: What steps would you use to solve this problem?
Have students discuss which numbers are negative and positive and how they know. Discuss
the key words changed by a loss means you add a negative number. Then have students
determine if the signs are the same or different. Have students explain if they need to add or
subtract. Students will explain that the answer is 48.45 +-13.80 the signs are different so you
subtract and arrive at the answer of $34.65.

Have students try the next problem independently and then discuss answers
A scuba diver standing on a boat is at an altitude of 1.3 meters above sea level. The scuba
diver jumps into the water and decreases his altitude by 5.6 meters in one minute. Write an
equation that can be used to determine the scuba diver’s altitude, in meters relative to sea level,
one minute after jumping into the water.
Make sure that students are able to pick out keywords such as above, decreases, equation.
Answer 1.3 + - 5.6 = -4.3

Now we will watch a video to help us remember the rules

Students complete a worksheet with PARCC items

Lesson debrief
Have students turn and talk about what they learned during the lesson. Possible answers how
to add negative and positive numbers.
Have students sing the song
Same signs add, different signs subtract, Same signs keep the sign, Different signs keep the
larger

Pass out homework