Sixth graders recently had their minds blown when they discovered that the number line doesn’t stop at zero, instead, it keeps going into the negatives! Suddenly, the world of numbers doubled, and students were introduced to values below zero exploring examples like temperatures, money, and elevations. This exciting new concept helped students understand how numbers connect and compare on both sides of zero.
To build understanding, students worked in teams to sort, order, and organize positive and negative integers from least to greatest. This hands-on activity required strong number sense, careful comparison, and thoughtful discussion. Students had to justify their thinking, explain why one number was smaller or larger than another, and work together to place numbers correctly on the number line.
Along the way, important skills were reinforced: collaboration, problem-solving, communication, and perseverance. As students debated whether -8 is less than -3 (spoiler alert: it is!), they were building confidence and deepening their understanding of how integers work. Learning about negative numbers proved that even when math goes below zero, excitement and engagement stay high!