[jonesey6]

I am doing the reteaching of our Order of Operations chapter. I have eleven students. Some do not know their multiplication facts and others just got confused on the order. Any one have any great suggestions on helping them to get this concept? We will retest on Friday of this week. Thanks for the help.

jonesey6

[Phyllis]

Are you familiar with a program called How the West Was 1+3 x 4

It is totally about order of operation. Using it, two people ,or one playing against the computer, take on the icon of a stagecoach or a ____ (train, I think). By using the 3 random numbers given they race to the finish line. If they can land on certain numbers, they can take a shortcut. The game has +,-, X, and divide along with ( ), so it is a great game.

I am a retired teacher who had ten copies of this program. I brought one home with me since I paid for them myself. I would be glad to mail this one to you at the school address or another address you choose. I tried to send you a PM, but you haven't been on long enough to have that option. I have only the one copy and cannot send to others who would like it.

[Phyllis]

You are going to want to find a way to PM me or something to avoid putting your personal info out for everyone. Do you know someone else who uses PT or could you post enough to have PM privileges? I WOULD NOT PUT MY ADDRESS IN AN OPEN REPLY.

[hazeleyesinnc]

Teachertube.com has a several videos about "order of operations."

Just a suggestion~

[jenteacher]

I am teaching this tomorrow. After a brief overview, i have the kids divide into small groups and write a song to a familiar tune teaching order of operations. Also, I let kids use calculators (I know gasp!!!) because I am not testing their knowledge of facts, but rather if they know the order!

I teach fifth grade and we teach them the following:
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

P=parenthesis
E=exponents
M=multiplication
D=division
A=addition
S=subtraction

They usually remember this and it helps them when it comes to test time.

[Misty]

We use the term Bodmas.

Brackets, of division, multiplication, addition, subtraction

some teachers also use bomdas

[12345413]

I have my students make a flow map to illustrate PEMDAS. We talk about how M/D & A/D are flexible, that is whichever comes first. I think that some not so strong math teachers have difficulty with this (like me) but once you get it, it makes it easy. I always refer to it as "the dreaded PEMDAS". Students remember it easier because of that catch phase.