Lesson Overview

This grade 6 order of operations lesson plan introduces students to BEDMAS using word problems set in familiar Canadian contexts. Students move from confusion about “which operation goes first” to a clear, repeatable process they can apply confidently. The lesson runs approximately 60 to 75 minutes and fits within Number Sense strands across most provincial math curricula, including Ontario’s 2020 Math Curriculum and BC’s redesigned curriculum framework.

This is designed as an introductory lesson. Students do not need prior knowledge of BEDMAS, but they should be comfortable with all four basic operations and have some exposure to basic exponents (squares and cubes).

Learning Goal

Students will understand that mathematical expressions must be evaluated in a specific order, and they will use the BEDMAS rule to solve multi-step expressions accurately.

Success Criteria

  • I can explain what BEDMAS stands for and why order of operations matters.
  • I can evaluate expressions that include brackets, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction in the correct order.
  • I can write and solve a real-world expression using BEDMAS without skipping steps.
  • I can find and explain the error in an incorrectly solved expression.

Materials

  • Whiteboard or interactive display
  • Printed or projected BEDMAS anchor chart (see the printable version in our teaching resources section)
  • Student math journals or loose-leaf paper
  • Calculators (for checking only, not for solving)
  • BEDMAS task cards (one set per pair or group of three)
  • Pencils and highlighters

Hook

Start class by writing this scenario on the board without any expression yet: “At a hockey tournament in Winnipeg, 3 teams each brought 2 coolers of drinks. Each cooler had 12 bottles, and the organizers added 5 extra bottles to the total. How many bottles were there?”

Ask students to write down a single mathematical expression to represent the situation before solving it. Give them two minutes, then collect a few answers from the class. You will almost always get at least two different answers, such as 77 and 41, from students who solved left to right versus those who applied multiplication first.

Write both expressions on the board: 3 x 2 x 12 + 5. Ask: “Did everyone get the same answer? Why not?” This tension is your entry point. Tell students that mathematicians around the world agreed on a set of rules so that every person who reads the same expression gets the same answer. In Canada, we call it BEDMAS.

Direct Instruction

Introduce BEDMAS using the anchor chart. Walk through each letter clearly:

  • B = Brackets
  • E = Exponents
  • D/M = Division and Multiplication (left to right)
  • A/S = Addition and Subtraction (left to right)

Emphasize the two points students most often get wrong. First, division and multiplication are equal partners, solved left to right, not division always before multiplication. Second, the same rule applies to addition and subtraction. Model this with a simple expression: 20 / 4 x 2. Students who divide and multiply in the wrong order get 2.5; students who go left to right get 10.

Now model a full worked example using a Canadian word problem. Use this one: “A family in Calgary buys 4 bags of trail mix at $3 each and uses a $2 coupon. They also buy 2 water bottles at $2 each. What is the total cost?” Write the expression: (4 x 3 – 2) + 2 x 2. Solve it step by step on the board, narrating your thinking aloud at each stage.

Guided Practice

Present three expressions on the board and solve them together as a class. For each one, cold-call a student to identify which operation comes next before you write it. This keeps the whole group engaged and helps you catch misconceptions in real time.

  1. 5 + 3² x 4
  2. (8 + 2) x 3 – 6 / 2
  3. “A Saskatchewan farmer plants 6 rows of canola with 15 seeds per row and removes 3 damaged seeds from each of 2 rows.” Have students write the expression first, then solve it together.

For the third problem, accept multiple valid expressions as long as the math is correct. Discussing two different but equivalent expressions reinforces flexible thinking.

Independent Practice

Students work individually on a set of six problems in their math journals. The first two are purely numerical. The next two are Canadian context problems written out in words (students must write the expression and solve it). The final two present a solved expression with a deliberate BEDMAS error; students must identify the mistake and show the correct solution.

Suggested problems to write or adapt:

  • A group of 5 students each donate $4 to a Terry Fox Run, and their teacher adds $20. Then the total is split equally among 3 charities. What does each charity receive? Expression: (5 x 4 + 20) / 3
  • A BC classroom orders 3 boxes of pencils with 24 pencils each. Two boxes of 10 erasers are also ordered. Write and solve the expression for the total number of items.

Consolidation

Bring the class back together for the last 10 minutes. Ask two or three students to share their work on the error-correction problems. Have them explain not just the correct answer but why the original solution was wrong. This is where the deepest learning happens.

Close by returning to the hockey tournament problem from the hook. Solve it together using BEDMAS and confirm the answer is 77. Ask students to write one exit ticket sentence in their journal: “Order of operations matters because…”

Differentiation

Students Who Need More Support

Provide a colour-coded BEDMAS reference card students can keep at their desk during independent practice. Use only two to three step expressions without exponents at first. Pair these students with a peer during guided practice and allow calculators to verify their step-by-step work rather than to skip steps.

Students Ready for Extension

Challenge students to write their own Canadian-context word problems that require at least four different BEDMAS operations. They swap problems with a partner and solve each other’s. You can also introduce nested brackets: 3 x [(4 + 2) x 2 – 1]. This connects naturally to future algebra work.

Multilingual Learners

Provide the anchor chart with visual icons alongside each letter. Use simple sentence frames for word problems and pre-teach vocabulary like “expression,” “evaluate,” and “brackets” before the lesson begins. Pairing a multilingual learner with a bilingual peer during guided practice helps without singling anyone out.

Assessment

Use the exit ticket as a quick formative check. Collect and scan student journals at the end of independent practice; look specifically at the error-correction problems to see how deeply students understand the rule rather than just following steps mechanically.

A simple three-category observation checklist works well here: Applying BEDMAS correctly, Identifying errors in others’ work, Connecting math to real-world context. Note which students need a small-group follow-up before the next lesson.

Follow-up Lessons

  • Lesson 2: Introduce variables into BEDMAS expressions as a bridge to algebraic thinking.
  • Lesson 3: Students create and peer-assess their own multi-step word problems using Canadian data (Stats Canada tables, local sports stats, school fundraiser totals).
  • Lesson 4: Apply order of operations on a spreadsheet using Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel, reinforcing that technology also follows BEDMAS.

Browse related math lesson plans for grades 4 through 8 on The Canadian Teacher for ideas on sequencing this unit.

FAQ

Is BEDMAS the same as PEMDAS?
Yes, functionally. PEMDAS is used in the United States, where “Parentheses” replaces “Brackets” and the order of multiplication and division is listed differently. The underlying math rules are identical. Stick with BEDMAS in Canadian classrooms to match what students will see on provincial assessments.
At what point in grade 6 should I teach this lesson?
Most teachers introduce BEDMAS early in the fall after reviewing the four operations. In Ontario, it connects to the Number strand expectations introduced at grade 5 and built on through grade 6. In BC, it supports the computational fluency competency.
My students keep forgetting that division and multiplication are left-to-right. Any tips?
A lot of teachers use the phrase “DM twins” and “AS twins” to remind students those pairs are equals. You can also have students physically underline division and multiplication from left to right before solving. Repeated exposure through daily warm-up problems is honestly the most effective fix.
Can I use this lesson for grade 5 or grade 7?
With modifications, yes. For grade 5, remove exponents and keep expressions to two or three steps. For grade 7, extend into expressions with integers, which many provincial curricula introduce at that level.

Continue the Conversation

Have a variation on this lesson that worked really well with your class? Found a Canadian context that landed better than hockey or trail mix? Share it with other teachers at the Canadian Teacher community forum. There is already an active thread on BEDMAS strategies, and your ideas are welcome.