Teaching division...Please help

[JenniferS]

I am trying to teach division to my fourth graders. I am doing a long term sub position and half of these kids know how to do it and the other half do not understand it. Needless to say it is very difficult and I need some ideas.
Someone said to do the boats with hula hoops but I don't have any and will not be able to get any. I have 19 kids so if they get in groups there will always be a remainder. I am nervous about trying that particular activity because they all have to be out of their seats at the same time, not a good idea.
Jennifer

 

[Wehr17]

Gums

When my students couldn't understand division, I came up with GUMS. I had them write it next to their division problem. The G stands for "goes into" since you ask yourself how many times the outer number goes into the inner one under the division bar. The U stands for "up" since you write your number up on top of the bar - a step which many forget. The M stands for "multiply" since you multiply the number you just wrote times the divisor and write it down. The S stands for "subtract" which is your final step before you bring another number down, and then GUMS starts over agin. I have even made desk charts to help the students remember. Hope this helps!

 

[JenniferS]

Thanks

Thanks, I will try that. You could give the whole class gum when everybody has mastered the concept, hehehe. That might help them actually TRY a little harder maybe.
Thanks,
Jennifer

 

[division]

Are yours really never all out of their seat at the same time?

The hula hoop game is a great kinesthetic activity, which some kids really need! You don't have to use hula hoops. You can use rugs. You can tape off sections around the room. You can use areas of the room, with the middle being designated as the 'left-over' area. You can use chairs, etc.

What is nice about it is you don't *just* have to do it with the number 19 (number of your students). You branch out from there to do 'only girls', 'only boys', etc. So they see division using a variety of dividends and divisors. We always demonstrate the math on the board while playing the game (kids rotate for this job).

I only do this game about once or twice. Once the novelty wears off, they do tend to get more wild. But, well worth it for 1-2 sessions! Especially for those kids who need to 'see' division w/remainders. Those are usually the ones who are struggling.

 

[deb603]

What's the hula hoop game?

 

[TeacherBB]

division

Does McDonald's Serve Cheese Burgers Daily-Repeat

d-divide
m-multiply
s-subtract
c-check
b-bring
d-down
Repeat if necessary

Although I do like GUMS better its more specific.

 

[division1]

I've heard it called, "Man Overboard".

Basically, you use hoola hoops (or rugs, as I have a variety of throw rugs in my room for library/reading area).

You can add/take away kids/rugs as you see fit.

Each rug is a boat. Tell the kids to find a boat, but there must be an equal number on each boat. The have to work together to divvy up so that there is an equal number on each boat. Any that cannot fit onto the boats are the 'men overboard' (remainders).

So, 19 kids divided onto 5 boats equals 3 on each boat with 4 men overboard.

We then demonstrate what is looks like as a math equation on the board.

We do a wide variety. 2-5 boats. Girls only. Boys only. Etc. Sometimes there won't be men overboard, sometimes there will.

It is great for working together, too.

 

[JenniferS]

Thanks

I was just thinking the hula hoops could be used as the boats in the man overboard game.
I have NEVER had ALL of them out of their seats at the same time unless we are leaving the room for lunch, recess, activity or library. OR of course, to go home for the day.
I will try the ideas given here though.
Thanks, I knew this board would come through for me.
I am going to write the ideas all down.
THANKS AGAIN,
Jennifer

 

[iteach4th]

Here's one more...

Use FRUITLOOPS!

I give a small 3 oz paper cup filled with Fruitloops to each student. About 40 of them fit in the cup so you can do larger problems. I think the hardest thing for kids to realize about division is that it takes the BIG AMOUNT of something and breaks it up into groups. The cereal helps them see that.

Also, if your kids know their division facts, tell them that division is just multiplication backwards! 4 x 5 is just 20 divided by 5. That really helps some.

Food is a great motivator!