Go back See all

    The Mighty Power of 10

    from

    Subject: Math

    Lesson Length: 30 - 45 mins

    Topic: Numbers and Operations in Base Ten; Place Value in Multiplication

    Grade Level: 5

    Standards / Framework:

    Brief Description: Students will explain the pattern of the number of zeros of the product when multiplying by powers of 10. Students will recognize that powers of 10 are represented as 10 with an exponent.

    Know Before You Start: This can be used as an introductory lesson for multiplying by powers of 10.

    Hook:

    • Read and discuss the sample comic.
      • As each number is multiplied, what pattern do they notice?
      • Discuss what powers of 10 are and how they are expressed with exponents.

    Activity:

      • Have students choose a number between 1 and 9 and multiply that number by 4 powers of 10 (101, 102, 103, 104).

      • Remind students that they can find the product by adding the same number of zeros as the power of ten, e.g., 14 x 102  can be solved by adding two zeros to the number they are multiplying by.

      • Have students compare their products with a partner.

    • Using the sample comic as a guide, have students create a six-panel comic showing a number of their choosing multiplied by 5 powers of 10, one in each frame (101, 102, 103, 104, 105).
    • Have students explain how the pattern of zeros works in the sixth panel.

    Closure:

    • Discuss how many zeros would be required for 1010 based on the way the pattern of zeros works.
    • Display completed comics in a gallery walk or have students share their comics in small groups.

    Differentiation:

    • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.

    • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.

    • Provide sentence frames as needed.

    • Provide manipulatives and visuals as needed.

    Resources:

    • Comic to print or display: Comic.

    Suggested Content Packs:

    Related Ideas

    The Power of Yet!

    Students will explore the power of “yet” and create a “Things We Can’t Do Yet!” comic.

    Who Is the Narrator?

    Students will learn about first and third person points of view by narrating comics of their own.

    Comparing Numbers

    In this lesson, students will read and write numbers in base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. Students will also compare numbers using >, <, = symbols.