Math lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 30 minutes
Write numbers in scientific notation (standard form)
Number sense
CCSS 8.EE.A.3CCSS 8.EE.A.4England: KS3 NumberEngland: GCSE Foundation Number
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Write numbers in scientific notation (standard form).
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Write scientific notation as an ordinary number
Leads to: Compare and order numbers in scientific notation; Multiply and divide in scientific notation
Materials: Place value chart, Base-ten blocks or a number line, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Write scientific notation as an ordinary number). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Write 8.3 × 10³ as an ordinary number. → 8300Prompt: 10 to the power 3 moves the digits 3 places to the left.
- Write 6.1 × 10⁻² as a decimal. → 0.061Prompt: A negative power of 10 makes the number small.
- The width of a human hair is about 8 × 10⁻⁵ m. Write this number in full. → 0.00008Prompt: Divide by 10 5 times.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Write numbers in scientific notation (standard form). Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Write 16 000 in scientific notation (like 4.5 × 10^6).
- Step 1: Move the point 4 places: 1.6 × 10⁴
- Answer: 1.6 × 10⁴
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Write 890 000 in scientific notation (like 4.5 × 10^6). → 8.9 × 10⁵Prompt: The first number must be at least 1 and less than 10.
- Write 0.062 in scientific notation. → 6.2 × 10⁻²Prompt: Move the decimal point to just after the first non-zero digit.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Write 0.000045 in scientific notation. → 4.5 × 10⁻⁵Prompt: Move the decimal point to just after the first non-zero digit.
- Aisha writes 8100 as 81 × 10². Why is that not scientific notation? (The value is wrong / 81 is not between 1 and 10 / The power of 10 must be negative / You cannot use decimals) → 81 is not between 1 and 10Prompt: Is the value correct? Check by multiplying out.
Watch out for
- Reading 1,045 as one thousand four hundred five: point to each place and say its value.
- Thinking a longer number is always bigger, even with decimals (0.45 vs 0.5).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Write scientific notation as an ordinary number.
- Use concrete materials: place value chart.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Compare and order numbers in scientific notation; Multiply and divide in scientific notation.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-8.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder