String the class along to help them understand large numbers. A multi-disciplinary lesson uses literature, science, and math to look at very large numbers. Pupils conceptualize how much a million is using literature before performing a hands-on activity with beads to further visualize the number. They end the lesson by making a connection to atoms and the size of a nanometer.

Concepts

millions, large numbers, nanometers, atoms

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Use a set of index cards and lay end to end to show how long of a string the different number of beads would be

Classroom Considerations

• Uses the book How Much is a Million by David M. Schwartz
• Requires containers of 10, 100, and 1,000 beads

Pros

• Provides detailed instructions to create the learning center container
• Includes an answer key

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.4.1 MP6 4.NBT.A.1 4.NBT.A.2 5.NBT.B.5 5.NBT.B.7