Teacher: Akenhnhahse White

Date: Friday November 13th, 2015

Subject: Secondary III Mathematics
Student Competency:
Arithmetic Understanding Real Numbers

(11) Represents and writes

o (d) numbers in scientific notation

Objective:
The objective of this lesson will be for students apply their understanding of real
numbers to manipulate extremely large or extremely small numbers; specifically,
they will learn how to do so through scientific notation
Cross Curricular Competencies:
(2) Solves problems: Students will be presented with various numerical values and
be able to transition from one form to the other.
Teacher Professional Competency:
Teaching Act - (6) To plan, organize, and supervise a class in such a way as to
promote students learning and social development.

The class will be organized prior to students entering in a way that is

conducive to learning. By prompting students to answer questions, we are
creating knowledge using their own understandings; this allows the teacher
to facilitate student learning instead of dictating information. Additionally,
students will interact with the teacher and other students thus promoting
their own social growth.

Lesson Plan
Introduction (0-10minutes)

As students enter, take attendance.

Explain to the students that we will be working with extremely large or
extremely small numbers today. As a math skill, scientific notation is used by
scientists every day when they have to deal with solutions.

Lesson (0-40min)

The rationale for scientific notation is to simplify life we can easily write out
very large or very small numbers which we can then use when we interact
with other numbers. As an added bonus, calculators store a finite amount of
spaces and so expressing small or large numbers is not easily done on the
calculator.

Write out the following numbers and explain this is in scientific notation. Ask
them what they find common among them:

4.12021 1019
9.022001 1034
91

5.26 10

The students should notice that a number written in scientific notation has
two key components:
o Digit: the first half contains a single digit, a decimal point, and then the
rest of the number.
o Power: The number is multiplied by a 10 raised to power.

As an example, write out the number

102=100 ,

6.5 102

and show them that since

6.5 100=650 .

Now write out

1.12 103 . Show them since

103=0.001 , when we

multiply thme
The digit is determined by the first digit in our number and the power is
determined by the amount of spaces we have to move the decimal.
We are now going to manipulate numbers in scientific notation by treating
the powers like variables. Do the example

( 3 x 20) ( 5 x 10)

( 3 5 ) (x 20 x10 )
15 x 2010
15 x 10
15 x10

Emphasize that we are collecting the numerical values and collecting the
variable and then multiplying the numbers in front and applying our exponent
rules to the variables. Now repeat the process with the next example, side by
side of the first one.

( 3 1020 ) (5 1010)
( 3 5 ) ( 1020 1010 )

2010

15 10

15 1010

The process remains the same! Ask the students what would happen if we
divide numbers in scientific notation. Do the example:

5.2 x 16
2.6 x 4

x 16
x4

( )( )
5.2
2.6

( 2 ) ( x 164 )
2 x 12

Now lets change the variable back into a power of 10

5.2 1016
2.6 104
2 10164
12

2 10

As a final check for understanding, have students do the example:

( 2.5 108 ) ( 4.2 106 )

Solution:

( 2.5 4.2 ) ( 108 106 )

10.5 1086
14

10.5 10

In-class work (remainder of class)

Students will be given the scientific notation worksheet. If they do not complete it,
they will have the weekend

Student Notes
A number written in scientific notation has two key components:
1. Digit: the first half contains a single digit, a decimal point, and then the rest
of the number.
2. Power: The number is multiplied by a 10 raised to power.