MS After School Intervention
Unit: Rational Numbers
Theme: Field Day
Day 9 Lesson
Objective
Students will be able to plot rational numbers on a number line.
Common Core Standards:
6.NS.6 Understand a rational number as a point on the number line. Extend number
line diagrams and coordinate axes familiar from previous grades to represent points
on the line and in the plane with negative number coordinates.
6.NS.6a Recognize opposite signs of numbers as indicating locations on opposite
sides of 0 on the number line; recognize that the opposite of the opposite of a
number is the number itself, e.g., (3)  3 and that 0 is its own opposite.
6.NS.6b Understand signs of numbers in ordered pairs as indicating locations in
quadrants of the coordinate plane; recognize that when two ordered pairs differ
only by signs, the locations of the points are related by reflections across one or
both axes.
6.NS.6c Find and position integers and other rational numbers on a horizontal or
vertical number line diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational
number on a coordinate plane.
Materials
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Overhead/Document Camera
“Four Corners: 0, 1, 2, 3” resource sheets
Pencils
“Number Line Tents” resource sheet
“Student Number Line Tents” resource sheet
String
Rulers
Tape
Scissors
“8th Grade Girls Football Dash” resource sheet
“Same Length Number Lines” resource sheet
“Plot It Answer Key” resource sheet
“Exit Ticket: Plotting Points on a Number Line” resource sheets (one per
student)
“Four Corners” (10 minutes)
Designate the four corners of the room as 0, 1, 2, and 3. Have each student stand behind
their desk, when the teacher calls out the rational number have the students move to the
corner with the closest whole number.
Suggested Rational Numbers:
1 5 2 11 4 3 1
, ,1 , , , , 2
3 4 3 4 5 2
4
Have the students discuss the following as a whole group:
How can we change improper fractions to mixed numbers?

3
Why is there two possible corners to go to for some rational numbers like .
2
“Flag Football Dash Scenario” (20 minutes)
 where students try
“Mrs. Reed is in charge of the Two-Hand-Touch Flag Football Dash,
to run with the football as far as possible. An opponent who is trying to stop the runner
by removing the flag challenges the student carrying the football. When the flag is
removed from the runner, the distance across the starting line is recorded. Students are
free to run forwards or backwards to dodge the opponent.”
A group of 8th grade boys participated in the Flag Football Dash. Here are the results:
1
Tyler: 3 yards
4
Robbie: 4

1
yards
6
8
Kishan:  yards
3

5
Devon:  yards
2

17
Marcus: 
yards
2

8
Hou: 
yard
16

Thomas: 


23
yards
4
Pablo: 
10
yards
3
Chris: 2

3
yards
4
Have a number line set up in the classroom by hanging string across the room. Cut out
the “Number Line Tents” numbered –10 through 10, folding each in half. Cut out each of
 the “Student Number Line Tents,” folding each in half.
Have students place the “Number Line Tents” numbers –10 through 10 on the number
line string. Then give groups of students the “number line student tents” and have them
discuss where the numbers belong on the number line string. Then call one group up at a
time to place the number on the number line string. Students will also have to explain
why they chose to place the number on that particular spot on the number line.
Answer:
2

3
4

1
4
6
3
5
2


8
16



1
4
8 10

3 3


“Flag Football Dash – 8th Grade Girls” (20
minutes)


23
4

17
2

In pairs students will work to plot the rational number for the 8th grade girls Flag Football
Dash activity. Each pair will receive a copy of the “8th Grade Girls Football Dash”
resource sheet. The student pairs should repeat the same steps as in the previous whole
class activity. Answer:


38
5

4
 
1
7 3
 2
2
2 4


7
6

1
1
4

4

2
5

17
3
7
5
6

“Plot It” Activity (20 minutes)
In this activity students will place numbers first on the number line of the denominator of
the fraction. Then, students will use a ruler to line up the fractions on the resultant
number line at the bottom of the page.
Explain to students that often they will have to place fractions with different
denominators between the same two whole numbers on a number line. Tell students they
will examine the placement of several numbers between 0 and 1 using numbers with
numerous denominators (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 16).
Display the “Same Length Number Line” Resource Sheet using a document camera or
overhead. Call out a numbers to be placed on the number line. Have a student volunteer
come to the front of the room and plot the number on the number line of the same
denominator. Have the student explain the rationale of the placement of the number on
the number line. Repeat this process for fifteen more numbers making sure to include
each denominator.
Tell students that we will now place the numbers on the same number line. Demonstrate
plotting the points on the same number line by using a ruler and drawing each point from
the various number lines above to the resultant number line on the bottom of the page.
Have student volunteers come to the front of the room and put the value of each point on
the resultant number line.
Distribute “Same Length Number Line” Resource Sheet to pairs. Students will repeat
this activity with the given numbers:
3 4 1 3 7 1 2 5 5 1 5 1 7 1 11 13
, , ,
,
, , ,
,
, , , , , ,
,
4 5 8 10 12 4 5 16 12 2 8 5 8 3 12 16
Note: The “Plot It Activity Answer Sheet” is included on another page.

After student pairs are done with this activity, have a student pair display their answer
using the document camera, or, have students copy their answers onto the overhead.
Exit Ticket (10 minutes)
Exit Ticket: Plotting Rational Numbers on a Number Line
Use the number line below to answer the following questions.
U R V Q
|
-4
|
-3
|
-2
|
-1
1
1.) Which letter represents point  ?
4
A. U
B. R
C. V

D. Q
2.) What value does point Z represent?
|
0
Y WZ S X
|
1
|
2
|
3
T
|
4
5
6
7
B.
3
11
C.
5
1
D. 2
8
A. 1




Answers: 1.) B
2.) C
Closure (10 minutes)
Have students summarize how to plot rational numbers on a number line. Ask multiple
students to explain in their own words. Next, have students explain why it is important to
be able to plot rational numbers on a number line and brainstorm scenarios in which
knowing where rational numbers belong on a number line would be a useful skill.
0
1
2
3
Number Line Tents
Fold Here
-10 10
Fold Here
9
-9
Fold Here
8
-8
Fold Here
7
-7
Fold Here
6
-6
Fold Here
5
-5
Fold Here
4
-4
Fold Here
3
-3
Fold Here
2
-2
Fold Here
1
-1
Fold Here
0
Student Number Line Tents
Fold Here
1
1
3 4
6
4
Fold Here
5
8 

2
3
Fold Here
8
17 

2 16
Fold Here
23  10

3
4
Fold Here
3
2
4
8th Grade Girls Football Dash Results
Bella: 4
2
yards
5
Megan: 4

1
yards
2
17
Cherice:
yards
3

5
Abby: 7 yards
6

Yelena: 

7
yards
2
38
Kayla: 
yards
5

Trenice: 2

3
yards
4
1
Lauren: 1 yards
4

7
Libby:  yards
6


Same Length Number Line
1


1
2
1
3

1
4

1
5

1
6

1
8

1
10

1
12


1
16
Resultant:
0
1
Exit Ticket: Plotting Rational Numbers on a Number Line
Use the number line below to answer the following questions.
U R V Q
|
-4
|
-3
|
-2
|
-1
1
3.) Which letter represents point  ?
4
A. U
B. R
C. V

D. Q
4.) What value does point Z represent?
5
6
7
B.
3
11
C.
5
1
D. 2
8
A. 1




|
0
Y WZ S X
|
1
|
2
|
3
T
|
4