Fun with P.E.M.D.A.S!

Teaching the order of operations is fun because the kids really put together all they have learned about multiplying, dividing, and exponents into some really difficult looking math!  They really feel smart and successful!  I took to the Internet to find some really creative ways to teach order of operations and to get my students something to look forward to.  After first reviewing the use of parenthesis in expressions, I taught them all about my dear Aunt Sally.  We also took advice from Runde's Room and created hopscotch squares as a kinesthetic way of learning.  Unfortunately, we couldn't go outside, so we improvised and used painter's tape in our own classroom.  (They even practice at indoor recess!)  Check out our video!

After this, they really got into it.  They even came up with their own mnemonic devices for P.E.M.D.A.S.  Some of them were hilarious!  My personal favorite was: Please Excuse My Dad's Awful Smell!

Please Excuse My Dear (Students') Awful Spelling! ;)

And of course, we just had to update our Interactive Math Notebooks.  These are really turning into something special.  We added a foldable that showed what P.E.M.D.A.S. means and the symbols we can look for for each.  We also used the left side to duplicate our hopscotch squares (we can do finger hopscotch!) and to add our own thoughts about order of operations.  Some students chose to write a letter to their future selves explaining it, while others chose to write out the steps in their own words, and still others chose to show examples.  I'm really trying to embrace the left side thinking into my notebooks more.  Here's to another try!

Check out the I <3 Math add in next to her foldable!  YAY!