6th Grade Crew
Math - Ms. Simon
Kodiak Bears, Black Bears, Grizzly Bears
You will notice that your student is following the order of operations using the acronym "GEMA." I understand that your initial reaction may be "what's wrong with PEMDAS, why can't we just teach math the old way?!" This is a fair question, so allow me to respond. PEMDAS is fine, if it is followed correctly. Unfortunately, many students misunderstand the acronym and apply multiplication before division in every case, even if division is presented first in the expression.
Therefore, I teach the order of operations using GEMA, which aligns with PEMDAS and reduces the confusion about which operation comes first in more complex expressions. Multiplication and division are inverse operations, collectively called “multiplicative operations.” I've included a chart below to show the two acronyms side-by-side, in hopes that this will help with the conversations at home. In class, we still reference PEMDAS, because it is widely known. But my goal is for students to truly understand the Order of Operations, whichever acronym they prefer.
Polar Bears
This week the Polar Bears spent time reviewing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of positive and negative numbers. The students have been working incredibly hard with challenging questions and have spent a lot of time asking questions. We will review for the test on Monday and they will be taking the Topic 1 Assessment (7th) on Tuesday, October 27. We will then move into Algebra!
It's time for the friendliest battle of the year. Candy Wars begins 10/1 and runs through 10/28. Students should bring in bags of wrapped candy; the bigger the bag, the better the battle.
All of this candy will be given out during our Fall Fest Trunk or Treat on October 30. We can't wait to see you there!
