Fifth Grade · Math · week 32

Order of operations mastery

Evaluate numerical expressions with parentheses, brackets, and braces, following the order of operations correctly.

When an expression has more than one operation, order of operations tells you which to do first: grouping symbols first, then multiplication and division left to right, then addition and subtraction left to right.

Grouping symbols like ( ), [ ], and { } are solved from the innermost group outward -- always finish what is inside before using that result in the rest of the expression.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • Teach the order as a checklist: grouping symbols (innermost first), then multiply and divide left to right, then add and subtract left to right.
  • Work through nested grouping symbols slowly, solving the innermost one first every single time.
  • Show a "wrong way," solved strictly left to right, next to the correct way, so the difference in answers is obvious.
  • Have them rewrite an expression step by step, crossing out each solved piece, rather than trying to do it all in one jump.
Talk about it:
  • What is the order of operations checklist?
  • When grouping symbols sit inside other grouping symbols, which do you solve first?
  • Why can solving strictly left to right, ignoring the order, lead to a wrong answer?

Mastery looks like: They can evaluate multi-step expressions with nested grouping symbols, following the order of operations correctly every time.

Common stumbles: Solving strictly left to right regardless of operation; solving addition before multiplication; working outside-in instead of inside-out on nested groups.

Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Math for this learner.
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