Unit Plan – Math 9 Exponents and Powers Unit Plan Fall 2023

Duration: 19 classes

Rationale:
This unit has a focus on what exponent laws are and the manipulation of expressions involving
powers and exponents. This leads right into the 10C unit about radicals and exponents where
students use these laws to manipulate expressions where the exponents can be fractions or
negative rather than only whole numbers.
This unit will review what exponents are, go over what the exponent laws are and how to use
them, using the order or operations when there are exponents in a problem, and how to solve
problems with exponents. The first half of the unit will be about exponents and exponent laws,
while the second half if the unit will be about problem solving. There will be a quiz after each
half of the unit, and a unit exam at the end.
After the unit exam, we will do an extension unit. This extension unit is optional but will
introduce skills used in future math classes (specifically Math 10C). Students have the
opportunity to participate in the extension unit or to redo the grade 9 powers and exponents
unit independently, and at the end they have the option to write an exam on the extension
content or to write an alternate version of the grade 9 powers and exponents test. Whatever
grade is better can become their unit exam mark for unit 2. These options will be discussed in
class and each student will get to tell me what route they would like to take, and even if they
want to learn the extension content but write the alternate grade 9 powers and exponent exam
at the end. This is simply an opportunity to engage with more math that is related to the skills
they are working on this year.
 Desired Results
Learning Outcomes:
General Outcome:
Develop number sense.
Specific Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of powers with integral bases (excluding base 0) and whole
number exponents by:
• representing repeated multiplication, using powers
• using patterns to show that a power with an exponent of zero is equal to one
• solving problems involving powers
2. Demonstrate an understanding of operations on powers with integral bases (excluding
base 0) and whole number exponents:
• (am)(an) = am+n • am ÷ an = am-n, m>n • (ab)m = ambm • (a/b)m = am/bm, b≠0
4. Explain and apply the order of operations, including exponents, with and without technology
Understanding: Essential Questions:
• What an exponent, power, base, and • What are exponents, powers, bases, and
coefficient is coefficients?
• Exponent laws regarding operations of • What are exponent laws, and how do
powers with the same base they differ from operations on numbers
• a0=1 we already know?
• Order of operations on numbers • How can we use the order of operations
including exponents (BEDMAS/PEMDAS) to solve problems?
• Solving problems involving exponents • How does not using the order of
and using exponent laws operations change solutions to math
problems.
Prior Understandings: Where does this lead?
Grade 6: 10C:
Explain and apply the order of operations, Demonstrate an understanding of powers with
excluding exponents, with and without integral and rational exponents.
technology Demonstrate an understanding of the
multiplication of polynomial expressions
Grade 7: Resources Needed:
Demonstrate an understanding of addition and Notes for students
subtraction of integers Worksheets
Textbook
Grade 8: PDF notes to do on the board
Demonstrate an understanding of multiplication
Calculator
and division of integers
Quizzes
Unit exam
Unit Overview:
Class 1: Oct 18 Class 2: Oct 19 Class 3: Oct 23 Class 4: Oct 24 Class 5: Oct 25
2.1 Introduction 2.2 Exponent 2.2 Exponent 2.2 Practice using Quiz 1: Sections
to exponents and laws: laws: brackets, exponent laws 2.1 and 2.2
powers (base, multiplication and distribution, and
exponent, division a0=1
repeated
multiplication,
coefficients)

Class 6: Oct 30 Class 7: Oct 31 Class 8: Nov 1 Class 9: Nov 2 Class 10: Nov 6
2.3 Order of 2.4 Word 2.3 & 2.4 Practice Quiz 2 Sections Review Go over
operations problems with using order of 2.3 and 2.4 quiz answers as a
(BEDMAS/ exponents operations and class, unit review
PEMDAS) with word vocabulary
problems with assignment, and
exponents unit review
practice problems
Class 11: Nov 7 Class 12: Nov 8 Class 13: Nov 9 Class 14: Nov 14 Class 15: Nov 15
Review Practice Unit Exam Extension 2.1 Extension 2.2 Extension 2.2
quiz – students Square roots, Exponent laws, Simplifying
write quiz cube roots, positive and rational
independently perfect squares, negative expressions using
and then we go and perfect exponents. exponent laws
over solutions as cubes. and integral
a class. exponents
Class 16: Nov 16 Class 17: Nov 20 Class 18: Nov 21 Class 19: Nov 22
Extension 2.3 Extension 2.4 Review Students Unit Exam -
Rational The real number decide which Students write
exponents, system and exam they want either the Unit 2
simplifying irrational to write and are extension exam or
rational numbers given a review the Unit 2 rewrite
expressions using Entire and mixed assignment to exam
exponent laws radicals and help prepare for
and rational converting that one.
exponents between them
 Assessments
Quiz 1 Quiz 2 Unit exam Worksheet and Exit slips
Learning Title textbook
Outcomes assignments
Type & Weight Summative/ Summative/ Summative Formative Formative
(Formative/Summative) formative 10% formative 10% 80%
1. Demonstrate an understanding of
powers with integral bases (excluding
base 0) and whole number exponents
by:
X X X X X
• representing repeated multiplication,
using powers
• using patterns to show that a power
with an exponent of zero is equal to one
• solving problems involving powers
2. Demonstrate an understanding of
operations on powers with integral
bases (excluding base 0) and whole
number exponents: X X X X
• (am)(an) = am+n • am ÷ an = am-n, m>n •
(ab)m = ambm • (a/b)m = am/bm, b≠0
4. Explain and apply the order of
operations, including exponents, with and X X X X
without technology
 Assessment Tool Overview
Assessment Title Brief Description FORM. SUMM.
Quiz 1 A summative quiz covering the content from sections 2.1
and 2.2. This quiz is intended to be summative, but can X X
become formative if the student performs better on the
cumulative unit exam.
Quiz 2 A summative quiz covering the content from sections 2.3
and 2.4. This quiz is intended to be summative, but can X X
become formative if the student performs better on the
cumulative unit exam.
Unit exam A cumulative test assessing student knowledge and
problem solving skills regarding all of the material that has X
been covered.
Textbook and After each lesson students will be provided with textbook
worksheet questions or worksheets with practice problems to aid in
assignments their journey towards mastery of the material. There is
time allotted for working on these in class and it is the
student’s responsibility to get the practice in, especially if X
they do not finish in class, and also ask for help if needed,
especially while the teacher is around in the classroom.
Answer keys will be provided for immediate feedback for
the students.
Exit slips At the end of some classes (specifically the days of initial
instruction) I will provide a problem for students to
complete on a piece of paper and turn in so I can get a
sense of where the class is, who is struggling, and provide X
feedback to the class as a whole or individual students as
needed.
Extension unit Students have the opportunity to improve their unit exam
exam/Powers and mark by writing an exam on Math 10C exponents and X
Exponents rewrite radicals content or rewriting the Math 9 Powers and
exam Exponents unit exam.
Reflection:
This unit went really well. The new content especially engaged the students and they were
diligent with their practice and really good questions. Things that were familiar were less
interesting and they were less engaged, but the exponent laws and word problems, which is
what we spent the most time with, were received well. I think I taught this well, and my
experience teaching the Math 10C extension of this helped me to know what needed to be
emphasized and practiced the most.
Things that could be adjusted for next time:
• Add more complex order of operations equations (especially with powers with negative
exponents) to assignments.
• Continue to emphasize vocabulary. I did this pretty well, but continue this and maybe
emphasize it even more.
• Add an exponents law activity or game tog et more practice in and do something fun.
The extension unit also went well. I feel like I could have spent more time on it for those who
were doing the extension, but not for those who were independently reworking through
material. Is tarted putting expectations on the board for those working independently, and this
was something I needed to have started doing earlier. It was alright once I started doing it, but I
know some of those independent workers did nothing for the 2 weeks we did the extension
unit. Going through the previous unit exam as soon as I could was important for this extension
unit as well, as it really helped many students decide what path they wanted to take. Overall it
was a success, many students improved their grades and even if they didn’t many students
learned something new and are more prepared for Math 10C. Many of the exam marks were
within a few percent of the previous exam, but others were increases of more than 20%. I
would do something similar again.
Things that could be adjusted for next time:
• Making expectations for independent workers very clear
• Checking in more with independent workers
• Exit slip for extension unit before exam to make sure students doing extension will find
success with the extension exam.