Math Lesson Plan · Grades 6–9

Evaluating and Factoring Exponents Lesson

Teach students to write, evaluate, and factor expressions involving exponents. The lesson extends exponent notation to variable bases, shows how to evaluate expressions by substitution, and introduces factoring terms with exponents. Includes 20 practice problems and answer key.

Lesson Overview

Writing, Evaluating, and Factoring Expressions with Exponents

Exponents can be applied to both numbers and variables. An expression like x³ means x × x × x. The lesson covers writing expressions in exponent form, evaluating them by substituting known values, and factoring terms back into their prime or variable components.

The eight-page lesson walks through variable exponents, evaluation, and factoring with worked examples. Students complete 20 practice problems and check their work using the answer key on page 8.

How to Use This Lesson

1. Introduce exponents with variable bases (pages 1–2). Connect to the notation students already know from numeric exponents.

2. Work through evaluating expressions by substituting values and factoring terms (pages 3–6). Include both numeric and variable examples.

3. Assign the 20 practice problems (page 7) independently. Review answers using the key on page 8.

Printable Resource

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