Order of Operations Medical School Part 1

My co-workers and the teachers at the Ron Clark Academy have been my inspiration for improving my teaching practice and engaging my students in exciting, real-life lessons.  Cheri Varner (@mathteacherpoms on instagram) is the one who really spear-headed the ideas for this lesson.  After reading The End of Molasses Classes by Ron Clark and hearing about how Kim Bearden transformed her classroom into a surgical center, she knew we had to do this with order of operations in our math classes.

Varner did this activity with her 6th graders (Math 6 and Pre-Algebra).   She had them decide whether or not the patients needed an operation performed (error analysis with order of operations) and if they did, they had to operate (fix the error).

                                            

           

Last week I transformed into Dr. Madison and introduced my 7th graders to "Medical School" where they would use the order of operations to save lives.

Once the students saw me, their mouths dropped, which told me that I had caught their attention.  I told them that they would be starting medical school (which would take two 80 minute class periods) and if they passed, they would get a certificate allowing them to perform surgery next week.  They totally bought into it.   We began calling each other doctor and using the student's last names.  I told the students that good doctors make sure they are consulting with other doctors to make sure they are making the right decisions and I was fine with them consulting with each other as they simplified expressions.  Later on in the class, I would hear them say, "paging, Dr. Madison for a consult, etc.".  It was hilarious.

Next, they got their devices and logged into Classflow.  I created a lesson on the basics of order of operations, with a medical theme and published it on the ClassFlow Marketplace.  You can download it for free here:  Order of Ops Mini Lesson Part 1.  There are ambulance siren sounds built in to the lesson as well as heart rate monitor sounds and even a flatline sound if students simplify incorrectly. We are trying to make the experience as real as possible.

I delivered the lesson, reviewed the order in which operations must be performed and then gave them a problem to try.  I LOVE using the creative polling feature with Classflow because it allows the students to interact with what is projected on their device.  Students were able to simplify the expression that was projected using their device (iPad, chromebook or desktop) and then submit it instead of using whiteboards or pieces of paper (unless students don't feel like they have enough space on the device).

Once the students submit, I can click on a button that brings up all of the responses and whoever is randomly chosen on the screen (you can choose someone if you prefer not to do random) gets to come up to the board to explain their thinking.  I love when someone is wrong because it allows for so much discussion to happen.

We went through several problems on order of operations in the mini lesson and then students rotated through their normal groups.  In the teacher group, we did more order of operations practice and talked about common mistakes that people make.

Our next step is to continue practicing simplifying expressions using order of operations, looking at error analysis and then simplifying using variable substitution with a mini lesson and then in small groups.  Once the mini-lesson is complete it will be published as Order of Ops - Medical School Part 2.

After that we move into surgery, which will require a complete classroom transformation (a la Ron Clark Academy) into a surgery center/hospital.  Complete with patients, gowns, hairnets, face masks, and gloves for students, etc.  All of that will be in the next post to come after the lesson.

If you have any suggestions, please share in the comments!!