Planetary Distance and Scientific Notation

Students interpret real astronomical data and represent very large numbers in scientific notation, exploring NASA moon–planet distance data in CODAP and analyzing patterns across planet types.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Subject Area Mathematics
Grade Band 6-8
Technology Tool CODAP
Class Time Estimate 2
Data Science Focus
  • 6-8.C.2.1a Use reasoning about distributions to compare two groups based on quantitative variables.
  • 6-8.C.2.3a Employ complex graphs (e.g., bar graphs, line graphs) and basic statistical concepts (e.g., mean, median, mode) to describe patterns and identify trends, similarities, and differences within data.
  • 6-8.C.2.3b Create scatterplots and add line of best fit.
Standards Alignment
  • 8.EE.A.3
  • 8.EE.A.4
Prerequisites Place value to millions; graph interpretation (scatter/dot plots); powers of 10; intro scientific notation.
Version 1.0
Date Created July 8, 2026
Last Updated July 8, 2026