Northeast College Preparatory School Lesson Plan
Teacher(s): _Mr. Launhardt
Grade: ___8th grade_________________
Subject(s): __8th grade math____Powers of 10 day 2
Date of delivery: Wed 9/26/12
Common Core Learning Standards Addressed:
8.EE.3 - Use numbers expressed in the form of a single digit times an integer
power of 10 to estimate very large or very small quantities, and to express how many times as
much one is than the other.
SLO
Students will have a better understanding of what scientific notation is and how to write large
numbers in scientific notation.
Essential Question(s)/Guiding Question(s)
How can we represent very large numbers and small numbers using the number 10?
Higher Level Thinking Questions to be used during the lesson:
In the work period they will use higher level thinking when applying scientific notation to real world
problems
Bridge/Connection/Hook:
Drake sold 3,000,000 song downloads in 2011.
Your friend says that is the same as 3∙10∙10∙10∙10∙10∙10 song downloads.
Is your friend correct? Explain.
Is there another way to represent 3,000,000 using 3’s and 10’s (hint: think exponents).
Materials/Resources/Technology Integration:
Work book handout lesson #5 powers of 10
Mini Lesson/Process/Procedure:
Use numbers expressed in the form of a single digit times an integer power of 10 to
estimate very large or very small quantities, and to express how many times as much
one is than the other. For example, estimate the population of the United States as 3 ×
108 and the population of the world as 6 × 109, and determine that the world population
is more than 20 times larger. Prove this to students by changing into standard notation
and proving it is 20 times larger.
Show examples of comparing small 1 digit integers.
Examples: 8 vs. 2  8 is 4 times larger than 2.
3 vs. 9  9 is 3 times larger than 3.
From both of these examples (or more if needed), make sure students understand you
are simply dividing the larger number divided by the smaller number.
Show examples of comparing powers of 10.
Examples: 103 vs. 10  1,000 vs. 10  1000 is 100 times larger than 10  103 is 100
(102)
times larger than 10
10-4 vs. 10-8  .0001 vs. .00000001  .0001 is 10,000 times larger than
.00000001 
10-4 is 10,000 (104) times larger than 10-8
From both of these examples (or more if needed), make sure students see the pattern
of simply subtracting the exponents rather than rewriting in standard notation and
dividing.
Now put the last two ideas together:
Example: 8 x 103 vs. 2 x 10  since we are dividing to see how much larger one is
versus the other we can rewrite: (8 x 103) ÷ (2 x 10)
then rewrite vertically:
8 𝑥 103
2 𝑥 10
then separate into 2 fractions: =
then simplify:
=4x
8
2
𝑥
103
10
1000
10
= 4 x 100
= 400
So 8 x 103 is 400 times larger than 2 x 10
Give students time to see if they can develop a written explanation to determine it is 400
times larger.
Possible explanation: 8 is 4 times larger than 2 and 103 is 100 times greater than 10
and 4 times 100 is 400, therefore 8 x 103 is 400 times larger than 2 x 10
Now show students an example where the first digits will divide to a number less than 1.
Example: 2 x 104 vs. 4 x 102
then rewrite vertically:
2 𝑥 104
4 𝑥 102
then separate into 2 fractions: =
then simplify:
= .5 x
2
4
𝑥
104
102
10,000
100
= .5 x 100
= 50
So 2 x 104 is 50 times larger than 4 x 102
Note: For this example, it would be beneficial to also show the that by performing the
“shortcut” method, a student would get 2 x 104 is .5 x 102 larger than 4 x 102. And .5 x
102 is 50 in standard form.
Give more examples as needed, specifically examples that involve decimals (4.2 x 106
is 3000 times larger than 1.4 x 103) and those
that involve negative exponents (8.6 x 10-5 is 200 times larger than 4.3 x 10-3).
Work Time/Activities/Task:
Watch the following video clip Western NY earthquake. Discuss with students about
earthquakes and how they are rated. Ask them if a 5.2 on the Richter Scale sounds a lot worse
than a 4.2 earthquake, etc. Have students work on worksheet Earthquake Task to help them
further understand the Richter Scale and how powers of 10 are used to compare magnitudes of
earthquakes.
Summary/Closure: Have students answer the essential question.
Journal Entry – Ask students to think about how exponents can be used to write large and small
numbers more efficiently. Have students write an explanation about why this is useful and give
examples to demonstrate the efficiency of this method
Access for All: Questions on homework will be addressed the next day in class to encourage them
how to answer the questions. The video will engage the students by using multiple intelligences and
reach those who may not understand the topic otherwise.
Homework: worksheet from RC
Formative Assessment: Making sure that the students grasp the concept of powers of ten by
answering the closure.
Adjustments that will be made for student success: Go over the homework the next day and
make sure the students understand how to explain the higher level questions by leading them with
guided questions to answer them.
REFLECTIONS
How does this lesson reflect
academic rigor?
How does this lesson cognitively
engage students?
We will discuss in vertical team
meetings
We will discuss in vertical team
meetings
How does this lesson engage
students in collaborative learning and
enhance their collaborative learning
skills?
We will discuss in vertical team
meetings