Grade Level(s): 8

Subject(s):  math,  science

Learner Outcomes:
 

• Students will work in cooperative groups to use the computer to do research on scientific notation.
• The students will collect data on how to work with scientific notation.
• Information gathered at the computers will be discussed by the class.

Materials:  Multimedia computers, a guided worksheet, calculators, portable easel

Technology/Courseware:  Word processing program, multimedia computers, Internet, printer, calculators.

Teacher Notes:

• Make sure every machine has Netscape Communicator and a word processing program on it.
• Students have acceptable use policy on file.
• All rubrics will be attached to the lesson.

1.  Divide the class in to pairs.  Each pair will be assigned a machine and a time for their search.  Have the students decide which job each will have at the beginning.  The students need to be told that the second day of the lesson students will change jobs.

 2.  Explain to the class that they are going to be explorers.  They are to go out onto the internet and find as much as they can about scientific notation.  Students can use the chart to help organize their data.

3.  Place the following list of possible sites on scientific notation on a portable easel:
      http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/scinot.html
          http://edie.cprost.sfu.ca/~rhlogan/sci_not.html
          http://janus.astro.umd.edu/intro-astro.html

4.  On the third day the class will come back together and discuss scientific notation.  We will all share the different sites that we have found and do some group work with an activity sheet on scientific notation.

Modifications:
This lesson could be used in a number of different ways.  Instead of having the students search the web for site dealing with scientific notation you could have the go to assigned sites and bring the information back to the class for the to use.  You could also have the students find different sites where scientific notation was used.  To find the distances to the different planets and galaxies.

Enrichment Activities:

Evaluation/Assessment:
Students will generate a list of web sites that are informative about what scientific notation is.  They will work in groups on an activity that will test their ability to use scientific notation.

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:
 

Math:  Al.2, Al.17, Al.5, Al.6, Al.20

Social Studies:  8.32, 8.35, 8.37, 8.38

Science:  8.16, 8.17, 8.19, 8.25, 8.57

National Standards

References:
      http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/scinot.html
          http://edie.cprost.sfu.ca/~rhlogan/sci_not.html
          http://janus.astro.umd.edu/intro-astro.html

Created by:  Susan Alkire (Homepage), Laura Jordan,  and  Marianna Leone
                         Romney Middle School
                         Romney, WV  26757

Lesson 1	Lesson 2	Lesson 3	Lesson 4	Lesson 5	Lesson 6
Pioneer Life ... Let's Explore!	How Far Is It? Let's Explore!	Let's Explore Scientific Notation	Let's Explore the Solar System	Rocket Boys - They Dared to Explore a Dream	Space Colonies: Cities of the Future