Rules of Exponents | Follow Me Cards US version

These 30 follow me cards are a great way to revise rules of exponents. There are two possible starting points, so differentiation is built into the activity. It includes simplification of multiplying and dividing terms with powers, evaluating fractional exponents and working with negative powers.

Play is similar to dominoes, where the cards are placed end to end with the question to the answers, but each question only has one answer. Students connect the questions and answers together forming a chain, with questions steadily getting harder.

This is the US version, using the term Exponents. For the UK version that uses the terminology indices, click here.

Some ideas for how to use follow me cards:
-Have a treasure hunt, around the classroom or outside. Students start with the starter card and record the solutions in the table.
-Students each take ownership of a card, and then get themselves in line correctly with the answers. If there are more than 30 students, assign some students as ‘managers’. If there are less than 30 students, the rst students to connect their cards can be given the remaining cards.
-Cut each card in half and give the students a matching activity. They can then glue the answers into their books.