Want to see how math is made fun? Just take a peek into Mrs. Leatherwood’s 6th grade math class as they take part in some serious “operations!”

From Mrs. Leatherwood:

I just love to see how excited the kids are collaborating with their partners to solve some really challenging math problems, and when they get through them (the Operation) their celebration. 

At the beginning they sit down at the “Operation Table” and I hear them say there is no way they can solve these problems – they are huge!! (See pics below of some of the challenge problems). But after some collaboration with their fellow “surgeons ” they break them down using the Order of Operations and “save their patient!” 

Math is not always every child’s favorite subject so years ago I decided that I wanted to find ways to make it fun and memorable for the students to give them a way to tie a really positive memory to a difficult but accomplish-able concept! 

When students “scrub-in” for their “surgery” they come into the classroom and are assigned to an “Operating Room.” They have five minutes to use the Order of Operations to solve each problem on their patient. They rotate through six different ORs during class time, but must pay attention to the “Code Blue” that goes off! If a Code Blue goes off they must run to that center to solve a “Critical Care Problem” together before they can return to their OR.

It’s a fun, and exciting day for all of us! I hope my students leave having had a blast and that they will always remember the Order of Operations! 

Our Middle School teachers are the best! Thanks, Mrs. Leatherwood, for a math lesson they’ll never forget!