Whole Numbers on a Number Line
A 45-minute Grade 2 lesson on reading a number as a distance from zero on a number line, then showing sums and differences within 100 as jumps along it.
Whole Numbers on a Number Line is a free 45-minute Grade 2 math lesson plan for Common Core standard 2.MD.B.6 — show whole numbers, and sums and differences within 100, as distances on a number line. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 2
- Length:
- 45 minutes
- Standard:
- 2.MD.B.6
Grade 2 · Measurement & Data
2.MD.B.6
Represent whole numbers as lengths from 0 on a number line diagram with equally spaced points corresponding to the numbers 0, 1, 2, …, and represent whole-number sums and differences within 100 on a number line diagram.
Objective
Students will be able to place a whole number on a number line as a distance from 0 and show an addition or subtraction within 100 as a sequence of jumps.
Students are successful when they can
- Places a number by counting equal spaces from 0, not by counting tick marks.
- Finds an unlabeled point on a line marked in tens or fives.
- Shows 47 + 26 as jumps of ten and then of ones, and says where it lands.
What you need
- A floor number line from 0 to 20 made with tape, with equally spaced marks
- Blank number lines from 0 to 100, marked every ten
- Paper strips and rulers
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — walk the line
5 min- Have a student stand on 0 on the floor line and take 7 equal steps. Ask where they are.
- On 7. Each step is one space, and the number they land on says how far they are from 0.
Teach — a number is a distance from zero
13 min- Draw a line from 0 to 10 with equally spaced marks. Point out that every space is the same length, like the units on a ruler.
- Mark 6 by counting spaces from 0. Then deliberately count the marks, starting the count at 0's mark, and land on 5. Ask what went wrong.
- The marks are where you land; the spaces are what you count. Start counting at the first space, not at 0.
- Draw a line from 0 to 100 labeled only every ten. Find 47 by going to 40 and counting 7 more ones.
- Show 47 + 26 as jumps: two jumps of ten from 47 to 57 and 67, then a jump of 6 to 73.
- Show 72 − 26 as jumps back: back 20 to 52, then back 6 to 46. Subtraction moves toward 0.
“A number on the line is how far it is from zero. To add, jump forward. To subtract, jump back. Count the jumps, not the marks.”
Guided practice — mark and jump
12 min- Pairs mark five numbers on a 0 to 100 line labeled in tens, including one that sits between two labels such as 85.
- They then show two additions and one subtraction as jumps, writing the number at each landing point.
- Partners check each other's jumps by saying them aloud: 'From 38, ten more is 48.'
Independent practice
12 min- Students complete a number line page.
- Answers that are consistently one too small are the counting-the-marks error and show as a pattern rather than as scattered mistakes.
Close
3 min- Show jumps from 55 to 65 to 75 to 78 and ask what problem they show.
- 55 + 23 = 78. Reading jumps back into a problem is the step worth ending on.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Counts the tick marks, starting with 0, and lands one space short.
Why: Counting objects means counting things you can see, and the tick marks are the visible things. The spaces between them are what the numbers measure.
Fix: Have students color each space as they count it, starting with the space after 0. The last colored space ends at the right number.
Draws a number line with spaces of different sizes and places numbers on it anyway.
Why: The line is being treated as a list of numbers in order rather than as a ruler, so the size of each space has not seemed to matter.
Fix: Lay a paper strip along the line and mark every space with it. A number line is a ruler with numbers on it, and a ruler with uneven spaces measures nothing.
Shows 72 − 26 by jumping forward 26 from 72.
Why: Every jump so far has gone forward, so the direction has not been attached to the operation.
Fix: Say the direction before drawing the first jump: adding moves away from 0, subtracting moves back toward 0. Then check the landing point against a quick estimate — the answer to 72 − 26 must be less than 72.
If they are not there yet
- Work on a 0 to 20 line with every number labeled before moving to a line labeled in tens.
- Walk the jumps on the floor line before drawing them.
If they finish early
- Find the difference between 38 and 81 by jumping up from 38, and compare that with jumping back from 81.
- Find a number that is halfway between 40 and 60 on a line, and explain how you know without counting by ones.
- Show the same sum two different ways with jumps and say which is quicker.
Exit ticket
On a number line from 0 to 100 marked in tens, mark 47. Then show 47 + 26 as jumps and write where you land.
What to look for: 47 placed seven spaces past 40, then jumps to 57, 67 and 73. Landing on 72 suggests the marks were counted instead of the spaces; jumping backward means direction is not yet tied to the operation.
Printable practice for 2.MD.B.6
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Where Is the Number?What number is each arrow pointing to?
Questions about Whole Numbers on a Number Line
How long does the Whole Numbers on a Number Line lesson take?
45 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 12 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Whole Numbers on a Number Line teach?
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.B.6 — 2.MD.B.6, Measurement & Data for Grade 2: “Represent whole numbers as lengths from 0 on a number line diagram with equally spaced points corresponding to the numbers 0, 1, 2, …, and represent whole-number sums and differences within 100 on a number line diagram.” In plain terms, show whole numbers, and sums and differences within 100, as distances on a number line.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A floor number line from 0 to 20 made with tape, with equally spaced marks, blank number lines from 0 to 100, marked every ten, paper strips and rulers and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: counts the tick marks, starting with 0, and lands one space short; draws a number line with spaces of different sizes and places numbers on it anyway and shows 72 − 26 by jumping forward 26 from 72. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “On a number line from 0 to 100 marked in tens, mark 47. Then show 47 + 26 as jumps and write where you land.” 47 placed seven spaces past 40, then jumps to 57, 67 and 73. Landing on 72 suggests the marks were counted instead of the spaces; jumping backward means direction is not yet tied to the operation. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Whole Numbers on a Number Line?
Yes — 1 printable 2.MD.B.6 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Whole Numbers on a Number Line free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on October 22, 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-10-22. Aligned to 2.MD.B.6 of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.