5E LESSON PLAN

AUTHORS’ NAMES: Halle Smith and Almira Akinpelu

TITLE OF THE LESSON: Scientific Notation

TECHNOLOGY LESSON: No / YES: No

DATE OF LESSON: April 17, 2019

LENGTH OF LESSON: 50 minutes

NAME OF COURSE: 8th Mathematics

SOURCE OF THE LESSON:

https://prezi.com/wb0uulin_lvr/scientific-notation/

TEKS ADDRESSED:

8.2 Number and operations. The student applies mathematical process standards to represent and use real
numbers in a variety of forms. The student is expected to:

(C) convert between standard decimal notation and scientific notation;

ELPS ADDRESSED:

c2D: Monitor understanding and seek clarification.

c2G: Understand general meaning, main points and details.

C3D: Speak using grade level content area vocabulary in context.

CCRS ADDRESSED:

Mathematics

IX. Communication and Representation

A. Language, terms, and symbols of mathematics

1. Use mathematical symbols, terminology, and notation to represent given and unknown information in a
problem.

CONTENT BACKGROUND:

Scientific notation is a method of writing very large and very small numbers. Ordinary numbers are useful for
everyday measurement, such as daily temperatures and automobile speeds, but for large measurements like
astronomical distances, scientific notation provides a way to express these numbers in a short and concise way.

https://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/mathematics/mathematics/scientific-notation

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to take a very small number or a very large number
and convert it into the scientific method form.

© 2007 The University of Texas at Austin

Revised UTeach Tyler – Jan 2016
ACCOMMODATIONS/MODIFICATIONS/EXTENSIONS:
Accommodations: Move students who have trouble hearing or seeing to the front of the classroom
Modifications: Take off the easy problems to allow students more time for the harder ones
Extensions: Students come up with their own examples rather then being assigned more problems.
RESOURCES, SUPPLIES, HANDOUTS:
https://prezi.com/wb0uulin_lvr/scientific-notation/
https://mashupmath.com/blog/2017/10/17/5-awesome-8th-grade-scientific-notation-activities
https://prezi.com/ndkafxgfexad/edit/#4_95982358
https://www.nku.edu/~intsci/sci110/worksheets/rules_for_significant_figures.html
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Scientific-Notation-Scavenger-Hunt-158515
Popsicle Sticks with student names on them
Scientific Notation Card Sorting Activity
Sig Fig Rules Card
Scientific Notation Scavenger Hunt Worksheet
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
Students will calmly get up from their seats and obtain their scientific calculators at the beginning of class.

ENGAGEMENT Est. Time: ________

What the Teacher Will Do
Will begin the discussion over the
history of scientific notation by
using the presentation.
https://prezi.com/ndkafxgfexad/edi
t/#4_95982358
T: Now that we know a little about the history of scientific notation, let’s do a little review on significant figures
Probing Questions and Answers What the Student Will Do
By show of hands, who thinks that Students will engage in the
it is possible to count every grain of discussion over the history of
sand on the planet? scientific notation.
- Most, if not all, of us know
that it is impossible to
count the number of grains
of sand on the earth.
Why is that even a relevant thing to
ask?
- Archimedes, the founder of
scientific notation,
supposedly calculated the
number of grains of sand

EXPLORATION Est. Time: ________

What the Teacher Will Do
Will write different numbers with
and without decimals on the
whiteboards around the room for
students to determine which
Probing Questions and Answers What the Student Will Do
Possible numbers to write: Students will walk around and write
295 their answers on a sheet of paper
306

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 numbers are significant figures and
give student the Sig Fig Rules card
Go to each number, after students
are done and ask which numbers
are significant figures (sig fig)
Will correct students
T: Now that we have an idea of which numbers are significant or not, let’s dive into using scientific notation!
EXPLANATION
What the Teacher Will Do
Part 1:
Teacher will draw sticks to call on
students to ask what they got for
the other numbers on the board
Part 2:
After finishing Part 1, the teacher
will begin the discussion on how to
find the scientific notation of a
number when given the full
number.
100
100.
0.00072
0.5090
Which numbers are significant in Answer all 3 of them are significant
295?
- All of them are significant
Which numbers are significant in Some may answer all of them are
0.00072? significant
- Only 7 and 2 are significant
Which numbers are significant in Some may answer all of them are
100? significant
- Only 1 is significant
Est. Time: ________
Probing Questions and Answers What the Student Will Do
How did you know that those Students will answer questions and
numbers were significant? show the class how they found
- Answers can vary significant figures in the problems
depending on the number
Why isn’t the zero significant in
that problem?
- All nonzero numbers are
significant
- Zeros are only significant if
they are final or trailing,
are inbetween significant
numbers, if they’re trailing
a significant number and a
decimal follows, and never
if before a significant
number
What would be an easier way to Students will engage in the
write a big number like 1400000? discussion over scientific notation
- Scientific notation can only and will ask questions if needed.
have one number to the
left of the decimal and the Some may answer 14 X 105
answer must have the
same amount of sig figs as
the question
- Exponents with a base of
ten indicate the number is
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Begin discussion on how to obtain
the full number when given the
scientific notation
Give more examples of both full
number and scientific notation
numbers for students to convert
T: Now that we have discussed scientific notation, we’re going to convert real world examples to and from
scientific notation with a partner.
ELABORATION
What the Teacher Will Do
Will provide a handout that has real
world examples for students to find
using scientific notation both ways,
letting students work in pairs.
Teacher will walk around to observe
and assist when needed.
large or small, and the
amount of spaces the
decimal is moved tells what
the exponent will be
- 1.4 X 106
How could we write a small Answer 5.6 X 10-5
number like 0.000056
- Small numbers move the
decimal to the right and
the exponent is negative
- 5.6 X 10-5
Given 1.5 X 106 how would you find Move the decimal to the right 6
the full number and what is the full places to get 1500000
number?
- Because the exponent is a
positive 6, move the
decimal to the right 6
places
- 1500000
Given 9.80 X 10-3 how would you Move the decimal to the left 3
find the full number and what is places to get 0.00980
the full number?
- Because the exponent is a
negative 3, move the
decimal to the left 3 places
- 0.00980
Answers will vary
Questions and answers will vary
Est. Time: ________
Probing Questions and Answers What the Student Will Do
Students will use their phone or
computer to find the real world
examples and will show how they
obtained their answers in
converting a number to and from
scientific notation.
Engage in discussion with everyone
to see how their answers compared
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 with everyone else.
T: Let’s do a quick quiz to see how well you can individually calculate scientific notation and standard notation.

EVALUATION Est. Time: ________

What the Teacher Will Do Probing Questions and Answers What the Student Will Do
Provide a scientific notation card Complete the scientific notation
sorting activity and sig fig rules card card sorting activity
for students to do and use
T: Thank you for letting us teach you today!

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