Powers of 10 Math Lesson: Multiply and Divide (5.NBT.A.2)

This simple lesson will help students understand how to multiply and divide by powers of 10. It ties in directly with Grade 5 standards 5.NBT.A.1 and 5.NBT.A.2.

How to Use:

Kinaesthetic Lesson Idea:

When I introduce this lesson I take several pieces of construction paper and write a single digit, a zero, or a decimal place on each one. I have students come up and hold the cards and physically move the decimal place card or add/remove zero cards, so that the rest of the class can see this math in action. For example if I had four students holding 5 2 0 . cards and then I said we would divide by 10, they would move to show 5 2 . 0

Then we go through the top part of the sheet as a class to fill in the blanks, and finally the students complete the practice section independently.

Early finishers can create word problems that involve multiplying or dividing by powers of 10 to share during the wrap up of the lesson.

Answer Key Included

Grades to Use With:

This lesson is specifically designed to meet grade 5 learning standards, but could also be used with grade 4 students in a split class, or as a review in grades 6 and 7.

Standards:

CCSS5.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.

CCSS5.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.

A total of 3 pages:

Teacher Instructions

Student Worksheet

Answer Key