Powers of 10

Tech Tool: 1977 Video

Overview

Brief Description of Tech Tool: Powers of 10 may have been made in 1977, but its relevance to today's students is just as clear and its models "powerful" (pun definitely intended). With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM), Grade 5 students are expected to be able to be able to multiply and divide by the Powers of 10. This video shows them just what they are doing when they make things 10 times bigger or smaller.

Technical and Cost Considerations: The company that created the original film has uploaded this copy which is freely accessible on YouTube. As with any video, teachers should ensure they have good bandwidth prior to showing it to students.

Evaluation

Description of Learning Activity: I used this in my classroom to help support my students work with understanding powers of 10. We had previously explored the concept and continued to explore it after the video. 

1. Learning Activity Types

• LA-Present: This is an example of a learning activity that involves the presentation of new content/ideas, a physical model of what the powers of 10 look like. 

2. What Mathematics Is Being Learned?

Standards

For CCSSM, at the Grade 5 level, this meets the following standard:

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NBT.A.1: Recognize that in a multi-digit number, a digit in one place represents 10 times as much as it represents in the place to its right and 1/10 of what it represents in the place to its left.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NBT.A.2: Explain patterns in the number of zeros of the product when multiplying a number by powers of 10, and explain patterns in the placement of the decimal point when a decimal is multiplied or divided by a power of 10. Use whole-number exponents to denote powers of 10.

Additionally, as I am aiming to connect math and science, this activity could fit (depending on how it is adapted) the following Grade 5 Next Generation Science Standard:

• 5-PS1-1: Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen.
• 5-ESS1-1: Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth.

Proficiency Strands

• Conceptual Understanding: This video aims to help students develop conceptual understanding. Although other proficiency strands could be incorporated depending on how the teacher wished to use the video, this is the most clear cut strand. 

Additional Comments

Students will get to see the universe from far away and cells close up. This can help them start to consider different science concepts as well. 

3. How Is the Mathematics Represented?

Using dynamic representations (an ever-expanding viewpoint or an ever-shrinking one) and visuals, the video's creators are able to give students some insight into the scale of the powers of 10.


4. What Role Does Technology Play?

"Powers of 10" is advantageous because it shows so much more than a teacher is capable of showing with words or pictures. In these dynamic images, students see what it truly means to "times 10." One thing that might be obscured with this representation however is how multiplication is actually repeated addition. Because the scale window expands by 10 times the size, students might not realize that as its gradually expanding, one unit is added with each shift in position. Pausing the video to discuss this could help clarify the issue.

Affordances of Technology for Supporting Learning

• Representing Ideas and Thinking: As mentioned, this video helps more clearly represent what "times 10" truly means. The powers of 10 come to life with the clever graphics. 

5. How Does the Technology Fit or Interact with the Social Context of Learning?

By their very nature, videos tend to be more of individual activities. However, teachers wishing to encourage collaboration surrounding this topic could pause the video for partner shares or class discussions. Reflection after the video could be completed in pairs and groups of students could create summary posters or develop their own models as an extension.


6. Additional Comments

As most fifth grade teachers would probably agree, teaching powers of 10 can be somewhat challenging. Using a variety of manipulatives and having students act out the powers (as described here) as well as watching this video can help teachers find success with conveying this information and fostering understanding.