Compare rational numbers

Target: Order numbers by position on a number line.

Language target: Use “farther right” for greater.

Likely miss: Students treat the number with the greater absolute value as greater, even when it is negative.

Ask: Which number is farther right?

If you see it: Ask which number is farther right on the number line.

Evidence to listen for: The student orders negatives by position, not by size of the digit.

Next: If the colder temperature is called greater, return to the line.

Observable student moves: names both quantities, uses the represented relationship, and revises after feedback. This companion is not a score.