X 2

Order Of
Operations
[MATH]

Alexis Field
SUNY CORTLAND|TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION LESSON PLAN |MATHEMATICS
Order Of Operations Ms. Field

Title: “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally”: Order of Operations

Grade Level: Fifth Grade
Purpose: This lesson is a great way to introduce and practice using the order of operations to
simplify numerical expressions with the help of the acronym PEMDAS.

Learning Objectives:
Given a blank list and a word bank, students will place the order of operations vocabulary
words in the correct order.
Given a Monster Quiz review game about solving problems using the order of operations,
students will answer 4 out of 5 questions correctly (with 80% accuracy).
Given a TED-Ed lesson, students will work in pairs or groups of three to answer three video
related questions with 100% accuracy.
Given a TED-Ed lesson, students will work in pairs or groups of three to simplify at least two
example problems with 100% accuracy.
Given a TED-Ed lesson, students will work in pairs or groups of three to create their own
numerical expression and solve it using the order of operations.
Given a TED-Ed lesson on a technology device, students will work in pairs or groups of three to
successfully navigate the lesson along with its videos and questions.
Given an interactive Lumio lesson on a technology device, students will work independently to
successfully navigate the software, its digital manipulatives, and its quizzes or games.
Given peer-created numerical expressions, students will simplify them using the order of
operations with 80% accuracy (8 out of 10 correct).

Materials and Preparation

 Create and print out a “PEMDAS Cheat Sheet” for each student
 PEMDAS image
 Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally image
 Create and print out the problems done in the TED-Ed lesson
 White boards and dry erase markers
 Technology devices

Attachments
 Lumio Lesson
 TED-Ed Lesson

Introduction (5 minutes)

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Order Of Operations Ms. Field

 Write the numerical expression “5 + 3 × 2 ÷ 1” on the board and ask students to find the
answer.
 Ask the students, “How many of you got 16?”, “Who got 11 for their answer?”, “Did
anyone get a different answer?”
 Then ask, “Which answer is right?” and “Why is it right?”
 Explain that our different answers are proof that order does matter.
 Explain to students that when there are multiple operations being used in an
expression, we cannot just solve by going left to right. We must follow a rule called The
Order of Operations and to get the right answer, we must remember that order matters.
 Remind students that before they decide on their final numerical expression (created as
a group) they must present it to you. They must also show you the work they did to
solve it (so you know it was done correctly).

Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling (20 minutes)

 Remind students that there can be addition, subtraction, multiplication, division,
exponents, and parentheses in any order and in any given numerical expression. Our
problem we used to introduce the lesson is just one example.
 Explain to students that if we put these operations in the correct order, their beginning
letters spell out the nonsense word, “PEMDAS”.
 Tell students that PEMDAS is what we use to help us remember the correct order of
operations. Sometimes people will also say or write “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally”
to help them remember.
 Write the two descriptions/explanations for PEMDAS on the board like this.

 Pass out the cheat sheets and explain to your students that they could also use it as a
checklist when they begin to solve and simplify an expression.

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Order Of Operations Ms. Field

 Put a new problem on the board and model how you would solve it. Take out your cheat
sheet and start by looking for parentheses. “Are there any parentheses? No, so now I
will look for exponents.”
 Place a check mark next to each word on your cheat sheet after you have either looked
for it, or solved that step.
 Explain to students that once they perform an operation (meaning they have multiplied
for example) they should rewrite the expression underneath (with the answer they have
just found). This helps them see how with each step in the order of operations, they are
simplifying their expression until they find an answer.
 Explain to students that just because multiplication comes before division, and addition
is in the order before subtraction, that does not mean it is the order they must work in.
If there is multiplication and division left, or addition and subtraction left, then they
should work from left to right.

Guided Practice (30 minutes)

 Together as a whole class we will watch the video portion of the TED-Ed lesson about
the Order of Operations.
 Then, students will be sent off to work on the rest of the TED-Ed lesson in either pairs or
groups of three using their devices. (They must each use their own so I have some
evidence of each student’s learning)
 Explain to your students that once they have finished the first three questions about the
video we watched together, they should move on to Part 2.
 Remind them they should pause the video to choose at least 2 of the example problems
Mr. J has listed. Then they should use their white boards to solve the problem first,
before watching the video to check their answers. (“Do your steps match Mr. J’s?” “Did
you get the right answer?”)

Independent Working Time (10 minutes)

 Ask students to complete all components of the interactive “Order of Operations” Lumio
lesson. This includes reading the review page, watching the video, putting the
vocabulary words in order (and checking answers with the teacher), practicing with the
memory match game, and testing what they know with the Monster Quiz.

Differentiation
 The “PEMDAS Cheat Sheet” will include pictures and symbols to represent the words,
for anyone who learns better visually. I will also download and image of this sheet onto
each student’s device, so it can be viewed on there (and zoomed in if necessary).

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Order Of Operations Ms. Field

 When writing the meanings of PEMDAS on the board, don’t forget to write the
corresponding symbols for each one. Possibly include an example problem next to each
one too, to further clarify.
 Ask students if they have another way to help them remember PEMDAS that they can
share with the class. Remember that Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally was your
example, theirs should be different.
 I will preload the PEMDAS and Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally images onto students’
devices.
 The problems from the TED-Ed lesson will be printed out for each student, and in some
cases I might make the font larger or put only one problem on a page to better meet
students’ needs.

Assessment (5 minutes)
 Ask students to complete the Monster Quiz from their independent work time, even if
they have not finished all the other components of the Lumio lesson. This way, you will
have data on students’ performance no matter what. You could make a note of who did
not get to finish all other components of the lesson.

Review and Closing (20 minutes)

 Do a quick summary/review with the whole class and make sure you address any
questions they have.
 One by one, groups will come up to the board to “present” the numerical expression
they created earlier. After they write the expression on the board, the rest of the class
will do their best to solve it. (The presenting group can ask for responses and give out
the correct answer)
 This will continue until all the groups have gotten the chance to present their creation.

Standards:
NY-5.OA.1 Write and interpret numerical expressions.
NY-5.OA.1 Apply the order of operations to evaluate numerical expressions.
5SL1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express
ideas clearly and persuasively, and build on those of others.
5SL1b: Follow agreed-upon norms for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
5SL1c: Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the
discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.