Essential Questions for students (objectives):  How can you use properties of integers to solve problems?

Supplies:   video (length - ), note-maker

 
CCSS:  7.NS.1 (part 1), 7.NS.2 (part 2), 7.NS.3, Mathematical modeling  TEKS: 6.3C, 6.3D, Use a problem-solving model
 
Instructional Format: Video, student problem-solving, group work

Time needed:  10+ minutes

Lesson Description: There are many ways to use this video in your math class.  I filmed it with the express purpose of modeling integer operations.  This video has two parts and each could be done separately.  Part 1 could be used as an introduction to basic integer operations, while part 2 uses all 4 operations of integers and includes rational numbers.  The tricky part of the video is for students to pay attention to the amount of information being given.  The extension of creating a mathematical model challenges students to use the associative property correctly with integers.

1) You can show this video (1:) at the beginning of a unit on integers as a hook that will keep the students interested in learning about calculating with integers.  You can have them work on the problem at the end of daily lessons (or once a week) armed with new knowledge that they are exploring in class.  Or you could revisit the video at the end of the unit as a formative check to see what the students have learned about integer operations and whether they can apply that knowledge.

2) You could show this video as a warm-up activity after the students have learned about integers.  It is a great way to show context to positive and negative numbers that isn’t the same old money or temperature examples.

Extensions:  How do we create a mathematical model to represent an elevator problem?