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South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Does Order Really Matter ??? (Grade 8)

Master Teacher

Wakesha Fogle

Time Allotment

One 90-minute class period

Overview

Using the mathematical order of operations to simplify and evaluate expressions is a requisite skill for solving multi-step equations, inequalities, evaluating formulas and simplifying monomials and polynomials.

Does Order Really Matter? is an interactive, media-rich lesson in which students examine the order of operations through hands-on, online, and multi-media activities.

Subject Matter

Mathematics

Learning Objective

Students will be able to:

• Use the order of operations to evaluate expressions.

South Carolina Standards

(These Standards are available online at

http://www.myscschools.com/officers/cso/standards/math/default.cfm.)

A.II.D.1 (8 th grade)

Students will be able to recognize and generate equivalent forms for simple algebraic expressions and solve linear equations. That is, students will be able to:

• Simplify a variety of algebraic expressions using properties of real numbers and rules for order of operations.

Media Components

Video

The Zany World of Basic Math, “Module 5: Integer Grab Bag”

(Order of Operations video clip)

The Power of Algebra: Order of Operations

(The Purpose of Rules and Order: An Example of an Algebraic Equation video clip)

To access these video clips, log on to your account at ETV’s StreamlineSC Web page (http://etv.streamlinesc.org). In the search by keyword box, type the Zany World of Basic Math, Module 5, and hit go. Click on the program title which will take you to a list of video clips. Download the clip titled “Order of Operations” to your computer and preview it. It runs three minutes and one second.

Follow the same directions to access The Power of Algebra. When you get to the list of video clips, download “The Purpose of Rules and Order: An Example of an Algebraic Equation.” This clip runs one minute and 32 seconds.

(Note to Teacher: If you don’t have an account with ETV’s StreamlineSC, check with your media specialist or Instructional Technologist about signing up for your own account.)

Web Sites

Order of Operations Board Game at http://www.scweb4free.com/oper.html
This site contains interactive math flash cards, games and worksheets. This page challenges students to use their knowledge of order of operations by dragging the numbers and operational signs on the wood board to complete the equalities.

Mystery Picture Game at http://www.dositey.com/math/m/mystery2SMA.htm. This site offers a dynamic collection of interactive educational modules and printable worksheets for grades K-8. The Mystery Picture Game is a great game for beginners learning how to use order of operations to evaluate simple expressions.

Explore Learning: Order of Operations Web site at http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=255. This site offers interactive simulations which are fun and easy to use. This activity has a step by step activity on simplifying expressions.

Materials

• Activity Sheet 1
• Activity Sheet 2
• Activity Sheet 3
• Overhead Transparency of Activity Sheet 1

Equipment

• Computers
• Overhead projector
• Averkey to project computer on the television or use an LCD projector

Prep for Teachers

• Prior to teaching the lesson, bookmark Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your lab or classroom. Load the Shockwave plug-in, available at http://www.macromedia.com, onto each computer, too.

• Play each of the online games prior to teaching the lesson, so you are aware of the flow and how to use the supplements provided.

• Download the video clips “The Purpose of Rules and Order” and “ Order of Operations” and cue the clips to the beginning. Always use PAUSE instead of STOP when you want to temporarily stop video. Otherwise, the clip will restart from the beginning when you press STOP and then PLAY.

• Copy all the handouts for each student and make an overhead transparency of Activity Sheet 1.

• Write the three questions under Step 1 of the Introductory Activity on your board or a transparency.

• When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.

Introductory Activity

Step 1: CUE the video to the beginning of the clip “The Purpose of Rules and Order.” You will see a man standing in front of an assembly line. Provide your students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to read the questions on the board and/or overhead and to be prepared to answer them at the end of the segment.

Question 1: The man on the video mentioned that Sherlock Holmes wins because he understands something that we take for granted in our everyday lives. What was he referring to? (Doing things in the correct order.)

Question 2: Based on this video, what do you think our lesson is going to involve? (Order of operations or putting things in order)

Question 3: What is another example in which order is important in everyday life?

(Answers will vary.)

Step 2: PLAY the video until you hear the man before the assembly line say, “It’s the same with Algebra, you have to follow the rules.”

Step 3: Review each of the questions with students to check for understanding. Explain to your students that in this lesson, you will be examining the steps involved in simplifying expressions using the order of operations.

Learning Activities

Step 1: CUE the video “Order of Operations” to the beginning. You will see order of operations on the screen. Provide the class with a Focus for Media interaction by asking then to listen for the answer to the question: “ What is the standard order of operations?”(They should respond with Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction.)

Step 2: PLAY the video until the woman on screen finishes listing the standard order of operations and mentions PEMDAS. She will say: “Sinking in isn’t it.” Now PAUSE the video.

Step 3: Check for student understanding by making sure everyone has the five steps written down along with the mnemonic device commonly used to remember the order of operations. You may want to use this time to review different ways multiplication is represented. (ex. a(b); a•b; ab)

Step 4: Distribute Activity Sheet 1: PEMDAS Table. (Note to Teacher: Have students put Activity Sheet 1 in a sheet protector and use their dry-erase markers. Tell students when prompted by you, they are to raise their PEMDAS tables so you can visually check for understanding.)

Step 5: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by telling them to watch the video and decide the first step that should be performed in simplifying the expression. Tell students to indicate this first step on their PEMDAS table.

Step 6: PLAY the video until you see the dog appear and begin barking. PAUSE the video when the lady says, “Let’s solve this puppy.”

Step 7: Ask students to hold up their PEMDAS tables so you visually scan the room for accuracy. (Everyone should have an X under P.)

Step 8: PLAY the tape until the lady says, “So you substitute the six for the nine minus three.” Hit PAUSE and check for understanding by answering any questions students may have.

Step 9: Put an X under the P on your overhead PEMDAS table and complete the first step of the problem in the Show Your Work section. This demonstrates to your students how the table is to be used to simplify expressions.

Step 10: PLAY the tape until they have finished explaining the first step in the problem. PAUSE the tape as soon as the woman says, “So the problem now looks like this.”

Step 11: Again, check for student comprehension by answering any questions the students may have.

Step 12: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to look for the second step in solving the problem and tell them to indicate it on their PEMDAS tables.

Step 13: PLAY the video until you see the cartoon man holding a book and the woman narrator is reading the revised problem. PAUSE the video when you hear her finish saying, “eight divided by two.”

Step 14: Have students hold up their PEMDAS tables. (They should have place an Xunder E.) Answer any questions. Put an X under the E on your overhead PEMDAS table and complete the second step of the problem in the Show Your Work section.

Step 15: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by telling them to look for the next step that should be performed in simplifying the expression. Tell students to indicate this on their PEMDAS Table with an X. (They should place an X under M and D).

Step 16: PLAY the video until the new problem is on the road sign. PAUSE the video as soon as the man finishes saying “twenty-five plus twenty-four minus four.”

Step 17: Check for student comprehension by answering any questions the students may have. Put an X under the M and D on your overhead PEMDAS table and complete the third step of the problem in the Show Your Work section.

Step 18: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to fill in what they think the next step in the problem is going to be. Have them do this on their PEMDAS Table. (They should place an X under A and S).

Step 19: PLAY the tape until the video ends. Check for student comprehension by answering any questions the students may have. Put an X under the A and S on your overhead PEMDAS table and complete the fourth step of the problem in the Show Your Work section. Tell the students: “Congratulations, you have used the order of operations to simplify an algebraic expression.” Review with students the steps involved in simplifying expressions.

Culminating Activity

Step 1: Tell your students that they will now have the opportunity to use their knowledge of the order of operations to simplify a variety of problems using Explore Learning. Have your students log on to the Explore Learning Web site at http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=255. Provide your students with a Focus for Media Interaction, asking them to simplify the expression on the site by clicking on the blue parts of the expression to perform the associated operation. Have them click the NEW button and complete several problems this way. After they have done this several times, have them complete the Assessment questions at the bottom of the screen. Encourage then to use their PEMDAS Table as they work on these problems.

Step 2 : Once the students have completed the three assessment questions and checked their answers, have them raise their hands to show you their Individual Reports.

Step 3: Distribute Activity Sheet 2 (Enrichment) and have students form pairs. (Note toTeacher: If some students are having difficulty, you can have them go to an alternate Web site called Mystery Picture Game at http://www.dositey.com/math/m/mystery2SMA.htm for additional practice. Work the first couple of problems with them.)

Step 4: Tell students to use Activity Sheet 2 as they play the Order of Operations Board Game at SCWebFree. Instruct students to log on to http://www.scweb4free.com/oper.html.

Step 5: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, by telling them to scroll down and select the number of minutes and exercises they would like and click start. Once the next screen appears they are to solve the problem with their partner and select next when finished.

Step 6: As a homework assignment, assign Activity Sheet 3.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Language Arts: Have students write a short essay explaining how life would be if they lived in a world for one day in which order did not exist. They need to start in the morning and continue until bedtime, creatively explaining how this would change all parts of their lives.

Science: Have each student select one topic in science that he/she has studied and have the student use words, pictures or drawings to describe how the lack of order would affect that phenomenon.

Art: Have students write the steps involved in making a collage on separate pieces of paper. Have students scramble and randomly select a piece of paper with a step on it. Now have the students perform the selected step. They need to continue this process until all steps are done. At the end discuss how changing the order affected the final outcome of their collages.

Social Studies: Discuss the voting process with students. Have them write a paper explaining how doing things in the incorrect order when voting can have an effect on the voting process.

Community Connections

• Have a local chef or cook come to your class and demonstrate the process involved in preparing a particular recipe in a specified order.

• Invite employees from your local construction business and have them discuss the importance of order in their jobs.

Student Materials

• Access to computers and the Internet
• Dry Erase Markers
• Sheet Protectors
• Activity Sheet 1 (PDF)
• Activity Sheet 2 (PDF)
• Activity Sheet 3 (PDF)