Opening:

(Students will be instructed to not flip over the worksheet I will be handing out)
When students are walking into the classroom have the question up on the whiteboard: “Where
have you seen exponents used in math and beyond the math classroom” in the launch. Have
students write answers on the board with whiteboard markers, refer back to this list during the
summary phase.

Verbal: One day while doing homework, Michele and Amber both used calculators to find the
solution to the expression 3+4x5. Michele’s calculator showed the answer 35 while Amber’s
calculator showed the answer 23. Take a minute to think individually and write down some
ideas about what you wonder about the answers being different.
[Possible Student responses: “One of the students is smarter than the other.” or
“The calculator (or one of them) is broken -- or needs a new battery.” “One student
made a mistake”] Note: I used two students name from the class this launch will be
rehearsed on

*Display question up on the board on PowerPoint while students are having individual think
time*

Verbal: Here is a picture of both calculators. On the left is the basic calculator Michele was
working with; on the right is a scientific calculator which Amber had (Show on the screen).

This is to ensure collective understanding of the two different calculators that will be used during the task,
and which calculator is which.

Verbal: With your A-B partners from yesterday….. (take a minute to regroup students if needed, if a
student is/was absent) the A partner hold up a basic calculator up high in the air. Now B partner
hold up the scientific calculator in the air.

Now work with your A-B partner and both of you type in the expression 3+4x5. Watch your
partner type in their expression and ensure that the A partner received the answer 35 and the B
partner received 23. Talk to your partner about any thoughts you are having about the
differences between the answer.

*whole class*
Did every pair of partners get the answer 23 on the scientific calculators and 35 on the basic
calculator? Let me see a thumbs up if your group got both 23 and 35 or thumbs down if you
group did not.
If just one or two pairs gave a thumbs down I will help these groups individually as the
launch starts. If a majority of the class is showing a thumbs down I have 2 students who
 had a thumbs up show how they received 23 and 35, if needed I will work both under the
document camera.

Verbal: When I finish instructions, you will flip over the paper in front of you. With your A-B
partner, record the solutions to the rest of the expressions on the first sheet, but do not move
onto the next page until instructed to do so. (Show directions on board while students are
working )

Summary:
After students complete the table, have them circle the rows that yield the same solution. Ask
students, “What do you notice?” Students should write down any observations they have after
looking at the results and listening to the other students’ answers. This discourse between
students should yield the conclusion that the solutions on the chart are the same when
multiplication comes first in the expression and that the solutions are different when addition
precedes multiplication. Subsequently, this will have students noticing that the order in which
operations are done can change the answer, requiring the need for an agreed-upon convention
for order of operations, Then, at the end of the lesson, students will explore how exponents fit
into this convention. Another indication that the launch was effective is having students able to
start work and not be confused about what needs to be done during the work session.