Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Negative Numbers Order Ladder: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 4
- ForYear 4
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Negative Numbers Order Ladder is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9). Children read short sea statements about divers below the surface, boats above it and the sea level itself. They then put the numbers in order from lowest to highest. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children meet a set of sea statements. Some divers are below the surface, some boats float above it, and the sea level is marked as zero. Each statement gives a number of metres. Children decide where each number sits and put them in order from lowest to highest. Picturing the sea helps them see why a number below zero is lower than one above it.
- A diver is at -7 metres.
- A boat floats at 3 metres.
- A diver is at -2 metres.
- The sea level is 0 metres.
- A diver is at -9 metres.
- A boat floats at 5 metres.
- A diver is at -4 metres.
- A boat floats at 1 metre.
A worked example with temperatures
Put these temperatures in order from lowest to highest: 2, negative 8, 6, negative 5.
This example uses different numbers from the sheet. It shows two ways to work.
Method 1: use a number line- Draw a line and mark zero in the middle.
- Put negative 8 and negative 5 on the left of zero. Put 2 and 6 on the right.
- Read from the far left to the right. Left is lower, so the first number you meet is the lowest.
- Make two groups. Negatives: negative 8 and negative 5. Positives: 2 and 6.
- Every negative is lower than every positive, so the negatives come first.
- For negatives, the number further from zero is lower. Negative 8 is further from zero than negative 5, so it comes first. Then order the positives: 2, then 6.
Build a number line to help
Draw the line
Use a ruler to draw a straight line across a page. Make it long enough to fit every number from negative 10 to 10 with even gaps.
Mark zero first
Put zero in the middle. Then mark the positive numbers to the right and the negative numbers to the left.
Label every mark
Write each number under its mark. Use a minus sign for the negatives so they are easy to spot.
Use it as a checker
Place a finger on each number from the sheet. Read along the line from left to right to check the order.
Why negative numbers feel tricky
Until now, children have mostly used numbers that get bigger as they count up from zero. Negative numbers go the other way. They are below zero, and the further below zero they sit, the lower they are. That feels odd at first, because a larger digit now means a lower value. Year 4 is when children begin to meet this idea.
Real settings help a great deal. Sea level, thermometers and lifts all have a zero with numbers above and below it. A diver below the surface and a boat above it give children a picture they can hold in their heads. The sheet uses that picture so ordering feels sensible, not like a new rule to memorise.
Negative numbers in real life
- Sea level is used as the zero point when people measure how high or how low a place is.
- Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, so temperatures below that are written as negative numbers.
- Weather forecasts use negative numbers on cold winter days.
- Some lifts show floors below the ground floor with negative numbers or with a letter such as B.
- A thermometer is a number line that stands upright, with colder temperatures lower down.
Skills and curriculum link
- Negative numbers
- Ordering numbers
- Comparing numbers
- Number lines
- Counting through zero
- Reading numbers in context
Ideas to help you explain
- Left is lowerOn a number line, numbers further left are lower. Numbers further right are higher. This works for every number, positive or negative.
- Zero is the dividing pointEvery negative number is lower than zero. Every positive number is higher than zero. Zero is in the middle.
- Below zero, the digit can trick youA larger digit after a minus sign means the number is further below zero. So it is lower, not higher.
- Down is lowerThink of a ladder or a thermometer. Moving down means the number gets lower. Moving up means it gets higher.
Key words
- Negative numberA number that is less than zero. It has a minus sign in front of it.
- Positive numberA number that is greater than zero.
- ZeroThe number between the negative and positive numbers. It is neither negative nor positive.
- Number lineA line with numbers in order. Lower numbers are on the left and higher numbers are on the right.
- OrderTo put numbers in a sequence, such as from lowest to highest.
- CompareTo look at two numbers and decide which is lower and which is higher.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Draw a number line from negative 10 to 10 and mark each number on it. Keep it beside the sheet.
- Work through the first time together. Ask your child to picture the sea and say where each diver or boat is.
- Let them write the order on page 1. Then check against page 2 and ask how they decided.
- Come back another day and try again. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use the number line. Put a finger on each number from the sheet and see which is further left. Further left means lower. Sort the numbers into below zero and above zero first, then order each group.
To stretch confident children
Draw a longer number line that reaches below negative 10 and above 10. Write three new sea statements with numbers of your own, including one at zero. Swap with a friend and order each other's numbers.
Make it a game
Remove the picture cards from a pack. Red cards are negative and black cards are positive. Each player turns over one card. The higher number wins both cards. If the numbers are equal, turn over again.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child thinks negative 6 is higher than negative 1 because 6 is a bigger digit.
Try thisMark both on a number line. Ask which is further left. Explain that further below zero means lower.
Watch forA child puts zero at the start or the end of the list.
Try thisRemind them that zero sits in the middle of the number line. Negatives are to its left and positives are to its right.
Watch forA child writes the numbers in the order they appear in the statements.
Try thisAsk them to find the lowest number first, then the next lowest, crossing each one off as they go.
Talk about it
- Where would you be if you were at zero metres? What is above you and what is below?
- How do you know which of two numbers is lower?
- Why is a number below zero lower than zero?
- What do you notice about negative numbers when the digit gets bigger?
- Where else have you seen numbers below zero?
- How could you check your order without using the number line?
Take it off the page
Stair number line
Pick a middle stair or a spot on the floor as zero. Label steps up as positive and steps down as negative with sticky notes. Call out numbers and ask your child to stand on them.
Weather watch
Look at a weather forecast with your child. Write down some temperatures, including any below zero, and put them in order from lowest to highest.
Draw the sea
Draw a sea scene with a line for sea level. Add boats above it and divers below it. Label each with a number of metres and say which is lowest.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go, then let them lead. Use the number line and keep the talk relaxed. Ask how they decided, and praise the thinking as well as the answer.
Teachers
Use it as a starter after teaching negative numbers, as a plenary, or as an early finisher task. The sea context gives a clear picture, and page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan and pair it with the stair number line or weather watch ideas. The sheet is free to print again for brothers, sisters or revision later on.
Where this fits
Before this, children count forwards and backwards, use place value and read positive numbers on a number line. Those skills give them the sense of order they now stretch below zero.
After this, children use negative numbers in more settings. They count forwards and backwards through zero and compare how far apart numbers are. Secure ordering now makes that later work easier.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Negative Numbers Order Ladder for?
It is written for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9), in Key Stage 2. It can also be used for revision with older children or as a gentle introduction for confident younger ones.
- What will children practise?
Children order and compare positive and negative numbers and count through zero. This links to the Year 4 number and place value strand of the National Curriculum for England.
- Does my child need to know negative numbers first?
No. The sheet works as practice and as an introduction. Drawing the number line from negative 10 to 10 before starting gives children a picture to rely on.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Use the number line and look at which number is further left. Further left means lower. Sorting the numbers into below zero and above zero first also makes the task smaller.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has help, stretch and answers.
- How long does it take?
Children work at their own pace, so there is no set time. Work through it together the first time, then let them try alone. Stop when they tire and return another day.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.