Multiplying and Dividing Exponents Lesson Plan: Expressions and Equations

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Multiplying and Dividing Exponents, and supports the standard of performing operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display this still from the movie (timestamp: 0:49):

Ask students:

• How else could you express each factor in this multiplication sentence?
• How might you solve this problem? 

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

• Read the description on the Multiplying and Dividing Exponents topic page.
• Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
• Assign Related Reading. Have students read one of the following articles:“Plus/Minus” or “Did You Know?” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.
  

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign the Multiplying and Dividing Exponents Quiz,  prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about multiplying and dividing exponents while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

• Make-a-Movie: Produce a news report about an earthquake that registers 7 on the Richter scale. In your news report, answer this question: How many times more powerful was this earthquake than a previous one that measured 3 on the Richter scale? 
• Make-a-Map: Create a concept map that sequences the steps to solve (8^3) x (8^6). 
• Creative Coding: Code a math problem involving multiplying or dividing exponents. Challenge a classmate to solve. 

More to Explore

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of expressions and equations with these topics: Polynomials, Exponents, and Standard and Scientific Notation.

Teacher Support Resources:

• Pause Point Overview: Video tutorial showing how Pause Points actively engage students to stop, think, and express ideas. 
• Learning Activities Modifications: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.
• Learning Activities Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.