Absolute Value Lesson Plan: Number and Operations

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Absolute Value, and supports the standard of understanding ordering and absolute value of rational numbers. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display an image of a number line, like this one:

Ask students: 

  • What do you notice about this number line?  
  • What can you tell about the numbers to the left and right of 0? How are they alike? How are they different?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read aloud the description on the Absolute Value topic page. 
  • Play the Movie, activating the Pause Points to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “In Practice” or “Q&A.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Students take the Absolute Value Quiz, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about absolute value while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.  

  • Make-a-Movie: Create a tutorial that answers this question: Why is the zero point important to absolute value?
  • Make-a-Map: Use a number line to explain the absolute value of -4. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a math problem involving absolute value and challenge a classmate to solve it.

More to Explore

Numbers and Operations Unit: Continue to build understanding around number sense and operations with more BrainPOP topics.

Teacher Support Resources:

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    Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, Absolute Value, BrainPOP, Lesson Plan, Math, Numbers and Operations, Teacher Resources
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