Date: April 3, 2016

Teacher Name: Bilal Ozturk

Grade: 8, Pre-Algebra
Lesson: Scientific Notation
Content Area: Mathematics Algebra
Description/Abstract of Lesson: In this lesson, students will identify reasons for using
scientific notation. Students will convert numbers in standard notation into scientific
notation and vice versa. Students will apply scientific notation in problem situations.
Timeline of Lesson: Three 50-minute periods. Additional time will be needed if you have
students present their work.
Oklahoma Academic Standard (OAS):
Number Sense and OperationThe student will use numbers and number relationships
to solve a variety of problems.
Oklahoma Academic Standard OAS Objective:
Represent and interpret large numbers and numbers less than one in exponential and
scientific notation.
Primary Process Standards:
Process Standard 1: Problem Solving
Process Standard 2: Communication
Process Standard 5: Representation

Lesson Objective:
Students will learn to express large and small numbers in scientific notation and to
compare two numbers written in scientific notations.
Materials:
1. Handout: The Powers of Ten (1 per student)
2. Handout: Investigating Scientific Notation (1 per student)
3. Handout: Applications of Scientific Notation (1 per student)
4. Handout: Reflecting scientifically (1 per student)
5. Calculator
Introduction:
Numbers in scientific notation occur in problems from science. More importantly, they
come from problems in the real-world. In this lesson, students will work problems
involving arithmetic performed on very large or very small numbers.
The greatest difficulty students will experience is remembering which direction to move
the decimal point with scientific notation. Students expect to memorize a rule for this
concept, but unfortunately the rule does not make sense without comprehending the
relationship between the exponent of the power of ten of the number in scientific
notation and the place value of the leading digit of the number in standard form.
Students should realize that the exponent of the power of ten of a number in scientific
notation denotes the place value of the leading digit of the number in standard form and
therefore, the number of places that the decimal will move when converting the number
in standard form to scientific notation.

Instructional Activities and Procedures:

1. Distribute the handout: The Powers of Ten to each student. Make sure each student
has a graphing calculator.
2. Give students time to complete the problems. Have students get with a partner to
compare and check answers.
3. Distribute the handout: Investigating Scientific Notation to each student.
4. Display the first page of the transparency: Investigating Scientific Notation, and go
over the first page in whole group discussion.
5. Have students work with their partner to work on the Guided Practice problems #12.
6. On problem #1, students will identify numbers in proper scientific notation. Monitor
students as they work to check for understanding.
7. On problem #2, students will enter numbers in standard form in a calculator, record
the calculators display in E-form, then write the number in the proper form of scientific
notation. As individual pairs finish the second column, if students are struggling, work
with the individual groups and explain how to convert the data to actual scientific
notation. It is very important to emphasize the format of scientific notation.
8. When all pairs are finished, have volunteers record answers on the transparency:
Investigating Scientific Notation. Students will correct answers as needed.
9. Assign the Practice Problems as homework. These should be done without a
calculator. Students should use patterns for writing numbers in scientific notation to
complete the problems.

10. Write the following scientific facts on the board.

Atomic mass unit (amu) =

1.66 1024

The diameter of a proton =

2 1014

The diameter of an electron =

grams
meters

2.8 1019
27

meters

The mass of a neutron =

1.6746286 10

kilograms

The mass of a proton =

1.67262158 1027

kilograms

The mass of an electron =

9.10938188 1031 kilograms

11. Ask students to order the following values written in scientific notation. Randomly
call on students to tell you the smallest value. Write this value on the chalkboard and
ask the class if they agree and why. Continue with the rest of the values until the class
agrees with the order written on the chalkboard. This discussion should lead to a
greater understanding of the emphasis on the exponent on 10 and a greater
understanding of negative exponents. Watch for students understanding of the value of
the negative exponent versus the smallness of the number.
14. Distribute the handout: Applications of Scientific Notation to each student.
Students may work with a partner or in small groups. Students should not use
calculators.
Modifications/Differentiated Instruction:
1. Distribute the modified handout: Modified The Powers of Ten to IEP students. Make
sure each student has a graphing calculator. Give students time to complete the
problems until teacher distribute the handout: Investigating Scientific Notation.

2. Reduce the choices from 4 to 3 in the handout of the Applications of Scientific

Notation for IEP students.
3. Provide the challenge assignment for the students who finished the Applications of
Scientific Notation handout early.

Evaluation:
1. Debrief the handout: Applications of Scientific Notation by having students
volunteer answers in whole group discussion. Use this time to check for student
understanding and to clarify any misconceptions.
2. Distribute the handout: Reflecting Scientifically to each student.
3. Have students work individually to complete Reflecting Scientifically. Do not allow
students to use a calculator.

The Powers of Ten

Use a graphing calculator to complete the following problems.
1. Multiply 523.473 by 10. What happened to the location of the decimal point when you
multiplied 523.473 by 10?
2. Multiply 523.473 by 100. What happened to the location of the decimal point when you
multiplied 523.473 by 100?
3. Multiply 523.473 by 1000. What happened to the location of the decimal point when you
multiplied 523.473 by 1000?
4. What direction did the decimal move when multiplying by tens?

5. How do the number of decimal places moved compare to the number of zeros?

6. Multiply 523.473 by

10

multiplied 523.473 by

101 ?

7. Multiply 523.473 by

102 . What happened to the location of the decimal point when you

multiplied 523.473 by

102 ?

8. Multiply 523.473 by

103 . What happened to the location of the decimal point when you

multiplied 523.473 by

103 ?

. What happened to the location of the decimal point when you

9. What direction did the decimal move when the exponent on the ten is positive?

10. How do the number of decimal places moved compare to the exponent?
11. What is the numeric value of

101 , 102 , and 103 ?

12. Divide 523.473 by 10. What happened to the location of the decimal point when you
divided 523.473 by 10?
13. Divide 523.473 by 100. What happened to the location of the decimal point when you
divided 523.473 by 100?
14. Divide 523.473 by 1000. What happened to the location of the decimal point when you
divided 523.473 by 1000?
15. What direction did the decimal move when dividing by tens?
16. How do the number of decimal places moved compare to the number of zeros?
17. Multiply 523.473 by

101 . What happened to the location of the decimal point when

101 ?

you multiplied 523.473 by

18. Multiply 523.473 by

102 . What happened to the location of the decimal point when

you divided 523.473 by

10

19. Multiply 523.473 by

10

you divided 523.473 by

10

. What happened to the location of the decimal point when

?

20. What direction did the decimal move when the exponent on the ten is negative?

21. How do the number of decimal places moved compare to the exponent?

22. What is the numeric value of

10

10

, and

10

23. What does multiplying by ten to a negative power imply?

24. What conjectures can you make about multiplying by powers of ten?

The Powers of Ten (Modified)

1. Complete the table of values for the powers of ten.

2. Discuss the pattern you see in the table of values for powers of ten.

3.

4.

5. If a number is extremely large will the exponent be positive or negative if you write the
number in scientific notation?

6. Explain how you know that

109=0.000000001 .

7. Is

3 10

Explain.

grams more likely to be the weight of a car, or the weight of an eyelash?