Accentuate the Negative

Negative Numbers can be one of the hardest units for students to grasp...

So here are some fun ideas I have found make the abstract concept seem a little more "real":

1. Number Balls - a game of ordering integers from least to greatest....

e learning - learn2. Cyberchase "Less than Zero" episode....I prefer to pick out only the math related clips of the episode.  This is easy to do using UnitedStreaming or TeachersDomain.

Here are the CLIPS from teacher's domain:

• Inventing Negative Numbers (cartoon)
• Importance of the Origin (cartoon)
• Cyberchase for Real: Competing in the Northern Hemisphere Games (cracks me up)

3. Teach this song:

Same sign, add and keep

Different sign, subtract

Take the sign of the larger number 

Then you'll be exact. 

Change the minus to a plus

Change the sign that's next

Now all you do is add them up

As if they were a plus.

3. Integers Project

Click on the pic above for my Integers Project