Mrs. White's 7th Grade Math

http://www.math-play.com/math-racing-adding-integers-game/math-racing-adding-integers_html5.html http://www.math-play.com/math-racing-subtracting-integers-game/math-racing-subtracting-integers_html5.html Jeopardy

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.

Yesterday I kept telling them about the importance of the Additive Inverse and how it could help them. I also mentioned "Decomposing Numbers" because sometimes students do not realize they can quickly breakdown a number to make the math easier in their heads. I kept saying "Is the number hidden in there" Today was amazing....I absolutely love to keep the kiddos engaged and loving what they are doing. Not one kid was unwilling to participate today (nervous, LOL) I bought multiple packages of Beanboozled 5th Edition. Students paired up and were randomly selected by the Smart Seat App. They then each chose a jelly bean. Each jelly bean was pictured on the board with a number value I assigned. Everyone would write the numbers based on their selections and then when they tasted the jelly bean would we know if it was going to be a positive integer or a negative. We had a great time, many photos and videos.

This concept is so important. At the beginning of class we discussed the results of the note card question. As it turned out no one was able to successfully explain combining to make zero. However a few friends were on the right track. So, for our notebooks we created a number line and installed it. We then took clothes pins and army men (a couple chickens and an Indian Chief) to help us move around. I didn't tell them how it worked, I just asked them to select an integer with their clothes pin and then move their figure until it reached zero. Hands shot up all over the room with responses about how they were able to get back to zero. We took a few quick notes and then practiced telling each other how to get an integer to zero out. Lastly, students completed the following problems:

Students took a few minutes digging into their prior knowledge of integers with a brainstorm session. This was all done on page 1 of their notebooks. To follow up their brainstorming students were asked to log in to the Google Classroom Accounts, this was the first time to access it in my class. They all did fantastic and received a perfect score. Their first task was to take some basic information notes and put in their notebooks. Task 2 was to explain how opposite integers combine to make zero (aka cancel each other), this was also a following directions activity. Students were given very specific instructions on where to find the note card they had to write on and where to turn it in. Only 2 had to be redirected back to the instructions.