About This Worksheet
This worksheet helps sixth-grade students understand integers through elevations above and below sea level. Students use sea level as zero and represent mountains, submarines, caves, camps, and explorers with positive or negative values. The problems move beyond simply writing integers by asking students to compare and order elevations as well. This gives students a practical way to understand how signed numbers describe position relative to a reference point.
What Students Practice
Students write elevations above sea level as positive integers and elevations below sea level as negative integers. They compare pairs of elevations, determine which location is higher or lower, and use comparison symbols correctly. Other questions ask them to arrange several elevations from least to greatest and identify which position is closest to sea level. Together, these tasks strengthen integer representation, comparison, ordering, and distance reasoning.
Why This Matters
Elevation gives students a clear picture of how positive and negative numbers work around zero. Sea level acts as a natural reference point, making it easier to understand that positive values are above and negative values are below. Students also learn that a location with a more negative elevation is actually lower, even though the digit may look larger. This understanding supports later work with rational-number comparisons, absolute value, coordinate geometry, and real-world data.
Teaching Tips
Start by reminding students that sea level is represented by zero on this worksheet. Have them decide whether each location is above or below that reference point before choosing a sign. When comparing two negative elevations, encourage students to imagine which location would appear lower on a vertical number line. For the ordering questions, a quick sketch of zero with values placed above and below it can make the relationships much clearer.
Curriculum Standards
This worksheet strongly supports CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.5, which asks students to understand positive and negative numbers in real-world contexts such as elevation. It also addresses CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.7 by requiring students to compare and order signed values. Questions involving the elevation closest to sea level additionally reinforce the distance reasoning connected to CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.7.C.