Mrs. White's 7th Grade Math

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Our opening exercise today was a super quick assessment over multiplying integers. Each student got a notecard. They either said a problem or an answer. When I said go they had to find their correct partner without any talking. 

Spider-Man reminded us today that we must begin at the Origin. To begin this lesson I wrote the problem -2 x -3 on the board and let the students talk amungst  themselves to come up with the answer. A majority were guessing and applying the rules of addition and subtraction. The answers that were shared were 6 and -6. I did not want to tell the students the rule first, really wanted them to figure it out on their own. Spider-Man told us that we had to look carefully at the signs of each integer in the problem. He said if the first integer is negative you must turn toward the negative side of the number line. If the first integer is positive then you must face the positive side. Remember you are standing at the Origin. So basically, the first integer tells you to look left or look right. The second integer tells you to walk forward or backwards. If it is positive you will walk forward, if it is negative you will walk backwards. For the example -2 x 3. Spider-Man turned to the lef...

In our notebooks we first made sure we could generalize the real rules for adding integers. Then students took turns creating an integer subtraction problem. We then discussed all the possible options for answers. I shared a major math moment with the class as I remembered learning this when I was in 7th grade and subtracting integers was a devastating moment for me. I remember the confusion and the discomfort. Most of all I remember the help I got from my teacher. So I shared a major hint that he shared with me. "ADD THE OPPOSITE" When subtracting integers change the subtraction (-) sign to (+) and then change the 2nd integer to its opposite. At that point you can follow the addition rules for integers.