BOMDAS, BIMDAS and GEMS Note Sheets That Simplify Order of Operations

Teaching order of operations can be tricky, especially when students are introduced to different acronyms like BOMDAS, BIMDAS and GEMS. This resource has been created to support teachers by providing a consistent, clear visual reference that students can keep in their maths notebooks and revisit throughout their learning journey.

This 3‑pack note sheet set includes dedicated pages for BOMDAS, BIMDAS and GEMS, giving teachers the flexibility to choose the strategy that best fits their curriculum or teaching style. Each sheet clearly outlines the sequence of operations, including brackets, indices/powers, multiplication and division, and addition and subtraction, with helpful prompts reminding students to work from left to right where appropriate.

By keeping this reference on hand, students build confidence in solving equations step-by-step and develop a deeper understanding of mathematical conventions rather than relying on memorisation alone.

Order of Operations Teaching Ideas to Boost Engagement and Understanding

These note sheets go beyond a simple reference tool—they can be used in creative and engaging ways to support student learning across your maths block:

• Interactive annotation – Have students colour-code each operation (e.g. brackets in blue, multiplication in red) to create a personalised and memorable learning aid.
• Error detective challenges – Present incorrect equations and ask students to use their Order of Operations note sheet to identify and correct the mistake.
• Maths journals with reflection prompts – Students can glue in the note sheet and write examples or explanations underneath in their own words.

These versatile uses help reinforce conceptual understanding while keeping lessons dynamic and student-centred.

Order of Operations Note Sheets – Easy to Download and Use

Getting started is simple! This resource is available as a ready-to-download PDF, making it perfect for quick printing and immediate classroom use. It also includes an editable Google Slides version, allowing you to customise the content to suit your students’ needs or preferred terminology.

To access the editable file, simply download the resource and follow the prompt to make your own copy of the Google Slides. This ensures you can adapt the note sheets while keeping your original version intact.

More Ways to Apply BOMDAS, BIMDAS and GEMS 

Check out more Order of Operations Activities below!

teaching resource

Order of Operations – Interactive Activity

Solve expressions by using the order of operations with this interactive activity.

teaching resource

Order of Operations – Mini Book

Learn how to solve equations using the order of operations with this mini book.

teaching resource

Order of Operations – Teaching Presentation

Teach your students how to correctly evaluate numerical expressions by using the order of operations with this teaching presentation.