Top 4 Tips to Practice Exponent Rules
One of the common topics that I see come up a lot in tutoring sessions is exponent rules. Sometimes students remember some of them or mix each of them up, but they rarely remember all of them. During my years of tutoring, I have assembled some resources I like to use with my students to teach/reteach this concept. But these resources are equally great to use at home for re-enforcement.
Before we get to these resources, let’s start with what exponents are and what are the rules are. Exponents are small numbers written to the upper right of a base. They are a way of indicating how many times to multiply that base number by itself. And below are the exponent rules:
Click here to download these rules.
Once students know these rules, they need to practice them frequently to memorize these rules. Exponent rules may come easily or be a challenge for your student. That is normal - we all have our strengths and growth areas. Don’t get frustrated if it's taking longer for your student to memorize these rules. I often liken memorizing math rules to learning a foreign language. The more they practice, the more proficient they will be. The same goes for math - more practice means more consistent results. Here are the top 4 types of resources I use or recommend to my students to help them memorize exponent rules.
Write them down!
I know what you are thinking . . . “But Ashley you just gave me the rules in a printout!” True, but think of this as a reference for your notes, not your notes. It’s easy to rely on the material written on the screen but writing things down yourself helps with memorization. There are a lot of reasons for this, but the big one is that when you are writing notes you are hopefully putting things in your own words (not writing everything down) and therefore are more actively engaged with the materials and thus increasing your chance of retention.Games
Not every student loves games, but the ones that do really love them. If your student loves games - us them. They will be more engaged with the content and that means more likely to keep practicing. Below are some of the games I have used with students:Exponent Game with Kiwi is a game great for middle schoolers or a high schooler who won’t find it too corny. With each correct answer students earn different objects for Kiwi the Pirate.
I love this Jeopardy game because its not too long and has great practice. It splits exponent questions into 3 categories : Evaluating Exponents, Equations with Exponents, and Exponents with Fractional Bases.
This Jeopardy game is a great review for exponents as well as some bonus questions on area, sides and more.
This Try Your Luck Exponent Game is great for competitive students. They are playing against the board trying to get as many points as possible while answering exponent questions.
Otter Rush is another great game for students who are competitive. It’s a racing game that advances your otter when you answer questions correctly. This game is best suited for students looking to practice their basic exponent skills.
Practice Materials
ItemPool Question Challenge is a short quiz I put together with exponent practice problems that will really challenge your student.
That Quiz allows students to pick which skills and difficulty level they are working on. This one is great for more target practice with instant feedback.
Exponent/Powers review quiz is great for students who need practice with the basics and want instant feedback.
Kahn Academy
This site has a wealth for resources for students needing more practice and review. This can be a great resource for students to use between class or session with a tutor. Students can’t ask questions but the videos are great and practice problems have through explanations. Find practice on exponents here.
If you are looking for more targeted, personalized 1-1 help for your student. Please schedule a FREE consultation with me.