Integers

After having to review and work with integers for a college class, it got me wondering what the best approach would be to teach this topic.   This concept seems like it would be confusing at first to students.  Using a number line to initially show students where negative numbers are on the line is easy enough, but it is the rules of addition,subtraction, multiplication and division that gets confusing.    

Learning the rules for addition and subtraction would be a bit confusing at first to students because of the way you change the signs.   I found  a video with a song on this rule.   

  Here is a cool video I found that explains this wellhttp://youtu.be/5eLiz1rdhsk.  Now that I am older, I look at adding and subtracting integers like balancing a checkbook or a credit card bill.   For younger students I think it might be a little more challenging to come up with a real life situation for them.   

I have to admit when I first learned about integers it confused me how a negative number times a negative number equaled a positive number.   The rules for multiplying and dividing integers is a bit different.  I think it is relatively easier to grasp because you are not changing signs as much.  Here is a song on the rules http://youtu.be/QMst5BcgHhQ.    This video shows one way to explain the rules    

 I am sure there are many ways to teach this topic, I am  just on the look out for many methods  to teach in order to find one that is effective with my students.  Never hurts to have a lot of tools in the tool belt.