Understanding the order of operations is an important skill for 7th-grade students. As teachers, we play a big part in helping them learn this in a fun and helpful way. Here are some strategies that can help check how well students understand BIDMAS/BODMAS (which stands for Brackets, Indices, Division and Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction) and how to simplify math problems.
Before starting lessons, give students a simple test to see what they already know. You could use short quizzes or quick problems. Ask them to simplify things like and . This will help you find out what they understand and what they might be confused about.
Make learning fun with activities where students can work together on problems. Put them in groups and give them expressions to simplify. Some examples are:
This way, students stay engaged, and they can share how they figured things out, showing what they understand.
Using pictures or tools can really help students learn. Make a poster showing the rules of BIDMAS/BODMAS or use number lines and other teaching aids. This way, when students simplify problems, they have something to look at to help them.
Encourage students to talk about how they solve problems in small groups. They can explain their methods to each other. If a student can explain how they did something, it usually means they really understand it. You can help guide these talks by asking questions like:
At the end of class, give students a quick exit question to see what they learned. Ask them to solve one problem and explain how they got their answer. For instance, you could ask: “Simplify and explain each step.”
Use technology with fun online games like Kahoot or Quizizz to create quizzes that test their knowledge of order of operations. These games make it exciting, and you can see how everyone is doing right away.
Use real-life situations that need order of operations. For example, you could have a budgeting activity where they need to calculate total expenses using the order of operations. This shows students why these concepts are important in everyday life and helps them understand better.
Make sure to give students regular feedback on their work. Encourage them to think about what they did right and where they need to improve. When they see how they are getting better, it keeps them motivated. You could also have one-on-one talks to discuss what they found hard.
Using these strategies helps students understand the order of operations better and makes learning enjoyable. Mixing up these different approaches keeps students interested and gives you helpful insight into how well they are simplifying problems. After all, math should be a fun and collaborative adventure!
Understanding the order of operations is an important skill for 7th-grade students. As teachers, we play a big part in helping them learn this in a fun and helpful way. Here are some strategies that can help check how well students understand BIDMAS/BODMAS (which stands for Brackets, Indices, Division and Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction) and how to simplify math problems.
Before starting lessons, give students a simple test to see what they already know. You could use short quizzes or quick problems. Ask them to simplify things like and . This will help you find out what they understand and what they might be confused about.
Make learning fun with activities where students can work together on problems. Put them in groups and give them expressions to simplify. Some examples are:
This way, students stay engaged, and they can share how they figured things out, showing what they understand.
Using pictures or tools can really help students learn. Make a poster showing the rules of BIDMAS/BODMAS or use number lines and other teaching aids. This way, when students simplify problems, they have something to look at to help them.
Encourage students to talk about how they solve problems in small groups. They can explain their methods to each other. If a student can explain how they did something, it usually means they really understand it. You can help guide these talks by asking questions like:
At the end of class, give students a quick exit question to see what they learned. Ask them to solve one problem and explain how they got their answer. For instance, you could ask: “Simplify and explain each step.”
Use technology with fun online games like Kahoot or Quizizz to create quizzes that test their knowledge of order of operations. These games make it exciting, and you can see how everyone is doing right away.
Use real-life situations that need order of operations. For example, you could have a budgeting activity where they need to calculate total expenses using the order of operations. This shows students why these concepts are important in everyday life and helps them understand better.
Make sure to give students regular feedback on their work. Encourage them to think about what they did right and where they need to improve. When they see how they are getting better, it keeps them motivated. You could also have one-on-one talks to discuss what they found hard.
Using these strategies helps students understand the order of operations better and makes learning enjoyable. Mixing up these different approaches keeps students interested and gives you helpful insight into how well they are simplifying problems. After all, math should be a fun and collaborative adventure!