Need a Creative Idea for a Classroom Transformation or Math Activity?

Transform your classroom into a Surgery Room and get your students excited about learning math in a hands-on, interactive way! In this fun and engaging activity, students become “surgeons” and wheel numbers into surgery to cut, glue, and piece together expanded notation or compare numbers.

Here’s How It Works:

1. Room Transformation: Set the stage by transforming your classroom into a surgery room! You can use simple decorations like plastic tablecloths, surgical masks, and gloves to create an immersive experience for your students.
2. Expanded Numbers Surgery: Students will “operate” on numbers by cutting them out and gluing them onto large pieces of paper to show expanded notation. They’ll add zeros to the hundreds and tens places to break down numbers visually. For example:

• 345 becomes 300 + 40 + 5

1. Comparing Numbers Surgery: Alternatively, you can have students work on the skill of comparing numbers. They’ll paste numbers side by side, leaving space to add a less than, greater than, or equal sign between them. For example:

• 450 > 300

1. Hands-On Learning: Students love the hands-on aspect of cutting and pasting, which makes math concepts more tangible. This activity is perfect for visual and kinesthetic learners, helping them grasp number comparisons and expanded notation in a memorable way.

Ideas for Use:

• Classroom Transformation Day: Use this activity as part of a larger room transformation for a fun and immersive review session.
• Math Centers: It can also be adapted for math centers or small group instruction, where students can work independently or in pairs.
• Review or Stand-Alone Activity: If you’re short on time, the activity can be used as a stand-alone lesson without transforming the classroom.

What’s Included:

• Detailed directions and additional picture examples to guide you through the setup.
• Clear instructions on how to facilitate both the expanded numbers and number comparison activities.

Get ready to “wheel numbers into surgery” and make math class unforgettable for your students! If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to reach out!

Heather Schrage

heather.schrage@gmail.com