Sylvia Martin

Due: May 20, 2015

Portfolio: MA Adolescent Math Education

Reflection - Domain D: Impact on Student Learning
I recently taught a robust sequence of lessons on exponents which encompassed many
math skills. This allowed students to pull from prior knowledge and create a synthesis within the
framework of exponents. Through the course of this unit, students had to distribute, solve linear
equations in one variable, factor, reduce, rewrite, simplify, evaluate and validate.
The sequence began with a review of the laws of exponents. In teams of two, students
work on a discovery activity for each of the Laws of Exponents. Together they evaluated two
possible interpretations for a given law; for example, does (23 )(22 ) = 25 26 . Based on the
results, they then select the appropriate choice. After three examples, they were asked to apply
the pattern to the general form ( )( ) = + . Once students complete the four laws in
general form, I ask them what they notice about the bases in these rules. Students are able to
respond that the bases are the same. Then students work on an exercise to complete a chart of
different bases raised to different powers. This is in preparation for the lesson on reducing or
rewriting a number as an exponent. This table is designed so students can see that a number may
be reduced to more than one base such a 16 = 24 42 something that will come in handy
when common bases are not shown.
The next lesson focused on additional practice with three variations of the negative
exponent law;

= and ( )

= ( ) . A worksheet with various

examples on the variations was provided to students. Students were determining what part of the
fraction would stay in place versus the part that needed to flip either to the top or bottom of a

fraction. This is an example where students social language is used to facilitate teaching the
concept. Once the concept was grasped, I transitioned to using the math vocabulary of
numerator and denominator. This lesson attempted to cover evaluating an exponent of zero, but
we ran out of time and therefore included it with the third lesson in the unit.
The third lesson focused on the power law. In this lesson, students practice distribution
when raising an exponent to a binomial exponent and vice versa. This lesson is also preparing
them for finding common bases in a later lesson. Finally we were able to evaluate an exponent
of zero. For the most part students had prior knowledge that any number or variable raised to the
zero power evaluates to one, they were a bit challenged when parentheses were added to the mix.
In this lesson they learned to take note of what the exponent is affecting in examples like;
0

2 0 (2)0 or 3 0 2 () .
In the fourth lesson we began to solve for the variable in the exponent when the bases are
the same. The lesson also introduced the need for reducing or rewriting a number on one side of
the equation as an exponent in order to solve for the variable in the exponent as in 4+1 = 64.
Students begin to understand why the bases need to be the same in order to solve for the variable.
In the fifth lesson, students are practicing reducing one side of the equation to a common
base. A chart is provided as a way to differentiate. Some students continued to use the
calculator to guess and check. I took this opportunity to ask students how else they found the
common base. Some students used the table provided, while some just knew off the top of their
head what the exponent would be. I explained that they could also draw a factor tree and then
count the number of times the prime factor is present; so 8 would equal 23 after first factoring as

2x4 and then 4 as 2x2 to get 2x2x2 or 23 . This was a tie back to the first lesson when we
reviewed what it meant to have an exponent.
The sixth lesson addresses when both sides of the equation have a common base not
shown such as 4 = 8. Here students had the misconception that 8 can be rewritten as an
exponent with a base of 4 solely because it is a factor of 8. Fellow students attempted and soon
realized that 4 raised to the 2nd power is too large. At this point I reminded them that they would
have to reduce both the 4 and the 8 to a common base. Once students reduced 4 to 22 , they saw
the possibility that 8 has a common base with 4. I asked them to help me demonstrate how I
would factor 8 to arrive at the common base of 2. This lesson also contained the table of values
introduced in the fifth lesson with bases from 2 to 6 raised to powers from 2 to 6. This is
essentially the same table that students completed in lesson one of the unit.
Students were assessed at the end of this unit. Students first worked together on a team
test allowing them to collaborate and create synergies with their strengths and varying
approaches to a question. Following the team test, students were given additional practice with
review stations. There were six stations, each addressing a different aspect of exponents being
assessed. Keys were displayed along the wall for students to check their work. Students kept
their Team Test and station work as study materials for their individual test which was designed
in a consistent manner as classwork, team test and stations. The item analysis of this assessment
brought to light a few common mistakes. Students had the most difficulty with negative
exponents, confusing what to flip and what not to. Students were also challenged by finding
the common base for 1, forgetting that any number raised to the zero power is 1, so 51 = 1
should have been reduced to 51 = 50 in order to set the exponents equal to each other.
Additionally, they had some basic errors involving distribution and simplification.