Positive & Negative Integers Introduction Lesson

This lesson provides an introduction to positive and negative integers. It begins by explaining what an integer is and discussing different examples of how we use negative integers in real life.
It then has a few different examples and discussion points using real life examples which can be done as whole class, individuals or groups e.g. weather, money etc.

The resource then goes on to describe positive integers as hot numbers and negative integers as cold numbers. I find this really helps learners when performing calculations involving integers.

The resource also contains a simple tug of war game that can be printed and played in pairs or played on the board with volunteers. For the game, someone is positive and someone is negative, they roll a dice and they move that number of spaces on the number line. Negative player moves to the left and positive player to the right. The winner is the person who makes it to their end of the number line. This is just a very simple game that encourages the children to add positive or negative integers and helps them visualise it on a number line.

The resource then goes through different examples of adding and subtraction integers. It has a visual number line to support learners. When explaining this to learners, I use the terminology of hot and cold numbers and use the example of a drink e.g. adding hot numbers will increase the temperature, adding cold numbers will decrease it or subtracting hot numbers will decrease the temperature and subtracting cold numbers will increase the temperature.

Finally, there are 6 quick questions that learners can answer and this can be used as a means of formative assessment.