Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
The Basement Lift Mystery: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
The Basement Lift Mystery is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children follow clues about people riding a lift, then work out which floor each person ends on. The lift goes above and below zero, so they practise counting across zero and reading negative numbers. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task 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
Each question is a short clue about a person in a lift. Children read the floor where the person got in, work out whether the lift went up or down, and count the floors it moved. Then they write the floor where the person ends up. Some clues start below zero and some cross zero, so children must keep track of the count. There is space to answer under each clue.
- Ms Penn got in at floor 3 and went down 7 floors. Where is she?
- Mr Okoye got in at floor negative 2 and went up 5 floors. Where is he?
- Dr Lane got in at floor 4 and went down 9 floors. Where is she?
Worked example: a lift that goes below zero
Mr Hale got in at floor 6 and went down 12 floors. Where is he?
This is a different question from the ones on the sheet. It shows two ways to think about a lift that crosses zero.
Method 1: a vertical number line- Draw a tall line and mark floor 0. Put a finger on floor 6.
- Move down one floor at a time. After 6 moves, the finger reaches floor 0.
- Count the moves still left over. There are 6 more, so carry on below zero for 6 floors.
- Split 12 into 6 and 6.
- The first 6 floors take the lift down to zero.
- The second 6 floors take it below zero.
- Floors below zero use negative numbers, so say the number out loud as negative 6.
How the sheet builds understanding
Read the clue
Children pick out the starting floor, the direction and the number of floors. Underlining each one helps them see what the question is asking.
Picture the lift
Thinking of a real lift gives negative numbers a meaning. A basement floor is a place you can stand, not just a number with a sign.
Count across zero
Children learn that zero is a landmark. They count to it, then keep going with the steps left over.
Say the answer
Writing the floor and saying it aloud, such as negative 2, helps children link the words to the number.
Why use a lift to explore negative numbers?
Many buildings have floors below ground level, often called basements. A lift button panel can show these floors with numbers or letters, and the idea of going below the ground floor is one children can picture. A lift moves in a straight line, up and down, just like a vertical number line, which makes it a helpful picture for counting.
Negative numbers are numbers less than zero. The National Curriculum for England includes counting forwards and backwards through zero with positive and negative whole numbers, as part of the number and place value strand in Year 5. A story about a lift helps children see that moving down past zero does not stop the count. The numbers carry on in the other direction.
Quick facts about negative numbers
- Zero is neither positive nor negative. It sits between the two.
- Negative numbers are less than zero, so they sit below it on a vertical number line.
- On a number line, numbers get smaller as you move down or to the left.
- Temperatures can be negative. Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, and on a very cold day the temperature can fall below that.
- A basement is a part of a building that is below ground level.
Skills and curriculum link
- Counting across zero
- Reading negative numbers
- Following step by step clues
- Using a number line
- Checking answers
Ideas to help your child
- Zero is a landmarkTreat zero as a stopping point on the journey. Count the steps to reach it, then count the rest.
- Direction words matterUp means the number gets bigger. Down means it gets smaller. Ask your child to say which way the lift goes before they count.
- Use a vertical number lineA tall line looks like a lift shaft. Moving a finger or counter along it keeps the count clear.
- Check by going backReverse the journey from the answer. If you travel back the same number of floors the other way, you should arrive at the starting floor.
Key words
- FloorOne level of a building. Lifts stop at floors.
- BasementA floor that is below ground level.
- ZeroThe number between the positive and negative numbers. It is neither.
- Negative numberA number that is less than zero. We say it with the word negative first.
- Number lineA line with numbers in order. Children move along it to count.
- ClueA small piece of information that helps you find the answer.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the first clue aloud. Ask your child to say where the lift starts and which way it goes.
- Draw a vertical number line beside the clues. Let your child move a finger up and down it as they count.
- Check the answers together using page 2. Ask, "How did you count across zero?" The thinking matters as much as the answer.
- Come back another day and redo any clue that felt tricky. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Colour floor 0 on a drawn number line so it stands out. Count the steps to zero first, then count the steps left over. Do one clue together, saying each floor out loud as the finger moves along the line.
To stretch confident children
Invent two new people and write lift clues for a friend to solve. Make one clue start below zero and finish above it. Make the other start above zero and finish below it. Check your friend's answers by counting back.
Make it a game
Pick a landing or step on a staircase and mark it as floor 0 with a sticky note. Call out a start floor, a direction and a number of floors. Your child walks carefully, one step at a time, to the right floor.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child counts the starting floor as the first move, so the answer is one floor out.
Try thisSay the start floor, then count only the moves. Put a finger on the start and say "one" as it moves to the next floor.
Watch forA child stops counting when they reach zero.
Try thisRemind them that zero is a landmark, not the end. Ask how many moves are left over and where those moves take the lift.
Watch forA child writes the right number but forgets the word negative.
Try thisAsk whether the floor is above or below zero. If below, say the word negative before the number and write it that way.
Talk about it
- Where is zero on a lift? What does it mean to go below it?
- How can you tell if a floor is above or below zero?
- Why does counting get tricky when the lift crosses zero?
- How did you decide whether the lift was going up or down?
- Can you explain your answer using a number line?
- Where else have you seen numbers below zero?
Take it off the page
Draw a tall building
Draw a building on a long piece of paper with floors above and below ground. Label the floors with numbers, including zero. Invent people who live on different floors.
Paper strip lift
Draw a tall number line on a strip of card. Use a counter as the lift and move it up and down while a friend calls out clues.
Temperature chart
Look at a thermometer or a weather forecast in winter. Talk about temperatures above and below zero. Draw a chart and mark which days were colder.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first clue, then let them lead. Draw the number line together and let them move along it. Praise how they explain their count, not only the final floor.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary on negative numbers, an early finisher task or a table activity. It fits the number and place value strand for Year 5. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan. It pairs well with number line work, temperature talk and everyday counting. Print again for brothers and sisters, or return to it for revision later.
Where this fits in your child's learning
Before this sheet, children count forwards and backwards in steps, read number lines and understand place value. They also meet zero as a starting point, so a lift journey that begins above zero feels familiar.
After it, children can compare and order negative numbers, find the difference between a number above zero and one below it, and solve problems about temperature. Counting through zero with confidence supports all of these.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is The Basement Lift Mystery for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. Children in Year 4 or Year 6 can use it too, as practice or as a way to revisit counting across zero.
- What will children practise?
They practise counting forwards and backwards across zero, reading negative numbers and following step by step clues. All the clues are set in a lift, so the maths has a real life picture behind it.
- Do I need to prepare anything?
No. Print both pages on plain A4 paper. A pencil is all your child needs. A ruler can help if you want to draw a vertical number line beside the clues.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Start with a drawn number line and colour floor 0. Count the steps to zero first, then count the steps left over. Work through one clue together before they try the next alone.
- Are the answers included?
Yes. Page 2 is for the grown up and includes the answers, along with notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
- 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 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
- Is it a screen free activity?
Yes. It is a printable that needs only paper and a pencil. It works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and it gets children talking and writing by hand.
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.