LESSON 11 EFFICACY OF SCIENTIFIC

NOTATION
Lesson Overview
This lesson will require students to continue to practice working with very small and very
large numbers expressed in scientific notation. It will enable students to read, write, and
perform operations on numbers expressed in scientific notation.

Standards
National Standards
Common Core Math Standards
8-EE.4: Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including
problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and
choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities
(e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has
been generated by technology.

Prerequisite Knowledge
At this point students should be able to convert values into scientific notation. Students
should be able to multiply and divide exponents that will aid them in operating numbers with
base ten.

Supporting Details
Materials
Worksheets
Helpful Information for Teachers
Documents
lessons on decimals.pptx (295KB)
Classroom Handouts.docx (147KB)
Mini Murder Mystery.pdf (189KB)

Web Links
Instructional Plans
Engage 1 (5 min)
1. Engage Details
Sub-components:
Prior Knowledge
Representative Questions:
(1) What do you know about...? (2) What have you seen like this?
Engage Description:

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 Students will have to think back about what they know about converting numbers into
scientific notation. They will remember that scientific notation can be written to a
negative power of ten.
2. Formative Assessments
Warm-Up, Think, pair, share
Students will begin with a "Do Now" where they are asked to convert a fairly small
decimal into scientific notation. They must realize that when the value begins to the
right of the decimal they have to find the first non zero value and then count the zeroes
that came before that value. This will allow them to find the scientific notation to what
they are looking for.
3. Teacher Reflection
(1) What did student prior knowledge indicate about readiness to learn and existing
schema?
proceed; quick review; remediate

Explore 1 (5 min)
1. Explore Details
Sub-components:
Collect
Representative Questions:
(1) How will you organize your information?
Explore Description:
Students will have to determine how to much heavier a proton is from an electron. This
will be difficult for students as both values have different magnitudes of decimals.
Students will have to organize their information in order to have the values with the
same magnitude of decimals. They must figure out a way how to eliminate one of the
power of ten.
2. Formative Assessments
Teacher Prompt, Record/Data Collection, Think, pair, share
Students will find the ratio between both proton and electron. From here students will
see that the atoms have different values of power of ten. Students will have to
determine which value will be easier to eliminate, the denominator or numerator. The
teacher may prompt that the problem will be easier if both values have postive powers
of tens.
3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Meaningfulness of data collected? How organized?
proceed; clarify; remediate; re-engage

Explain 1 (8 min)
1. Explain Details
Sub-components:
Evidence/Justify/Verify, Communicate
Representative Questions:
(1) What evidence do you have for your statement? (2) How would you explain...?
Explain Description:
Students will realize that it is easier to eliminate the negative exponent of 31, so that
both values will become postive. If students were to eliminate the -27 it would be

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 difficult for some students to continue on with the problem.
2. Formative Assessments
Teacher Presentation
The teacher will present to the students how to solve the problem step by step on the
board. This will allow students on how to set up the equation for their following
problems.
3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Strength of evidence for claims? Ability to verify procedure/results? Skillfulness in
justifying approach/results? (2) Effectiveness of communicating knowledge?
proceed; re-engage; re-explore; remediate; have students clarify

Extend 1 (20 min)

1. Extend Details
Sub-components:
Apply, Transfer
Representative Questions:
(1) What would happen if...? (2) How can this be used in the Real-World?
Extend Description:
What would happen if given a problem with values that are used in your daily life?
Students may find the value of a minute number to be impossible to understand. But
students seem to understand the concept of money and for this we give them a
problem with money so they can imagine it themselves.
2. Formative Assessments
New Investigation, Real-World Application, Think, pair, share
Students will be made to work on a problem from the packet that was given from the
beginning of the unit. Students are to work individually to prove that they understand
what was taught in today's lesson. If students show to be struggling the teacher may
aid, but will try their best not to show the steps.
After the student has shown that they have completed each problem from the unit
packet they are to work on the "Mini Murder Mystery" activity. Students are to work in
pairs. If students are not done they are to work on the actiivity for homework.The
"Murdery Mystery" activity will allow students to review all three lessons in an engaging
way so they have more practice before next class' test
3. Teacher Reflection
(1) Quality and number of applications made? (2) Skillfulness transferring knowledge
to new ideas?
debrief; re-engage; re-explore; have students clarify; another extension

Contributed by:
Aracely Polanco, Manhattan College, NY

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