Math Lesson: Division Facts / Grade Level: 4
Lesson Summary: The teacher begins by asking students for examples of numbers that students know automatically. The teacher tells students they will begin to learn their division facts so that they become automatic. Students will make a t-chart that helps them organize division facts that they already know and ones they still need to learn. Students take a series of division assessments and get immediate feedback on their answers. From those assessments, students record facts that they know and don’t know on their t-charts. For independent practice, pairs of on-level students play Fact Ladder in which each student answers division flashcards to move a game marker closer to the end of the ladder in order to win. Advanced learners practice finding missing divisors in division problems and then independently answer questions in which they have to find missing divisors. Struggling learners learn a strategy that teaches them to count by the divisor in the problem up to the dividend to find the quotient. Each struggling learner will also get a set of flashcards and write the answer on the back of each flashcard.
Lesson Understandings:
The students will know…
·  Division facts through 144 ÷12.
The students will be able to…
·  Identify quotients for division facts up to 144 ÷12.
Learning Styles Targeted:
Visual / Auditory / Kinesthetic/Tactile
Pre-Assessment: Ask students what kinds of numbers they know automatically. If students are struggling, give them a few examples. Ask students, “Do you know your phone number automatically? Do you know your birthday automatically? Do you know your address automatically?” Ask students for other examples. Tell students they are going to learn their division facts so that they are automatic as well.
Whole-Class Instruction
Materials Needed: 1 piece of construction paper per student, writing utensils, 1 colored pencil or crayon per student, 1 set of pre-cut Division Strips* per student, 1 copy of the Division Strips* to project under a document camera, a document camera, Example Construction Paper* for teacher reference, 1 set per pair of students of pre-cut Flashcards* that have been copied on cardstock, 1 Fact Ladder Game Board* that has been laminated per pair of on-level students, 2 game markers per pair of on-level students
Procedure:
1)  Give each student a piece of construction paper, and have students draw a t-chart that fills the page. Model this for students under a document camera. Label the left side of the t-chart, Facts I Know, and the right side of the t-chart, Facts I Need to Learn. Students should label their t-charts in the same way.
2)  Tell students they are going to figure out which division facts they already know well and which facts they still need to work on. Tell students to leave their t-charts on the corner of their desks because they will be writing on them throughout the lesson.
3)  Give students the first Division Strip (the strip including “1” division facts), and have students solve each problem. Tell students that they don’t have much time so they should skip ones that they can’t figure out. Give students 1-2 minutes to work. The goal is to find out which facts students already know well, so don’t give students an unlimited amount of time.
4)  When time is up, give each student a colored pencil or crayon. Project the first strip under a document camera, and review the answers to each problem. Instruct students to circle any problem they missed with the colored pencil or crayon and to write in the correct answer. After you’ve gone through each answer, tell students that they should record any problems they got right on the side of the t-chart that says, Facts I Know. Tell students they should record any problems they missed on the side of the t-chart that says, Facts I Need to Learn.
5)  Repeat this process for the remaining division strips. When you have gone through all of the strips, students should have every problem written on their construction paper. Tell students that they should keep the t-chart to help them study the facts that they need to learn. You may want to send the construction paper home for parents to study with the students. You may want to designate 5 minutes of class time a day for students to practice those facts they still need to learn.
6)  After the lesson, staple each student’s complete set of Division Strips together and collect them. Write the student’s name on the division strips. After a few days of studying, you can individually quiz students on the problems they initially missed and mark the ones on which they are now successful. You can show students their progress as they improve in their knowledge.
7)  Tell students they are going to play a game to practice their division facts. Put students into pairs to play the game, and give each pair a set of flashcards, a Fact Ladder Game Board, and two game markers (a bean or any small object will work). Tell students that the game markers should start at the bottom of the ladder on the star. Each player should choose one ladder to be his/hers. The flashcards should be placed face-down beside the board. When it’s time to play, one player (it doesn’t matter which one) will turn over the flashcard on top to reveal a division fact. The first player to say the correct answer gets to move his/her game marker one rung up his/her ladder. In the event that both students answer simultaneously, a player should turn over another flash card. If one player thinks the other answered incorrectly, s/he may challenge the answer and check the division strips for the correct answer. In this case, the player who answered incorrectly must move his/her game marker down one rung on the ladder. Play continues as players move their game markers up and down the ladder as they answer the questions on the flashcards until one of the players reaches the top of the ladder.
Advanced Learner
Materials Needed: 1 copy of the Advanced Learner Problems* per student, a dry-erase marker, writing utensils
Procedure:
1)  Gather students who know most of their division facts automatically. Tell students that they will be working backwards to find some division facts. Tell students they will know the answer to a division problem and the number being divided. Students must figure out the complete problem.
2)  Write 28 ÷ = 4 on the board. Ask students what number 28 can be divided by to get 4 as the answer. Elicit responses until a student says 7. Write 7 in the box on the problem on the board. Write 56 ÷ = 7. Ask students what number 56 can be divided by to get 7 as the answer. Elicit responses until a student says 8.
3)  When students understand how to find the missing number in a division problem, give each student a copy of the Advanced Learner Problems. Read the directions aloud to students, check for understanding, and allow them to work independently.
Struggling Learner
Materials Needed: 1 set of pre-cut Flashcards* placed in a plastic baggie per student, writing utensils
Procedure:
1)  Gather struggling learners together, and give each student an individual whiteboard, dry-erase marker, and a tissue. Tell students that you are going to teach them a strategy that will help them figure out the division facts that they don’t know yet.
2)  Choose one of the flashcards and display it for students to see. Write it on the board, if necessary. Tell students they are going to learn how to count by the divisor to find the answer. If the flashcard shows the problem 42 ÷ 6, tell students that they are going to start with 6 and count by 6’s until they reach 42. Model for students how to count by 6’s to 42, keeping track on your fingers as you count. When you finish counting up to 42, go back and model for students how to count how many fingers you’re holding up (7). Tell students that 7 is the answer. Have students practice the strategy for the same problem, 42 ÷ 6. Model the strategy again with other flashcards until students understand the strategy and can do it independently.
3)  After students understand the strategy, give each student his/her own set of flashcards. Have them work in partners to go through each problem and write the correct quotient on the back of each flashcard. Monitor the students as they write on their flashcards to see that they are writing the correct quotients for each card.
Note: The flashcards can be sent home with students to study with their parents.

*see supplemental resources

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