Introducing division to 3rd Graders: Effective strategies with worksheets

Division can be challenging for many 3rd graders, but it shouldn’t be boring or frustrating. There are many ways to make division fun and easy to understand for your students. Here are some simple and fun methods to explain division to 3rd graders:

• Use manipulatives. Manipulatives can be moved, counted, or grouped to represent mathematical concepts. You can use anything from buttons, coins, beads, blocks, or even candy to show your students how division works.

  For example, you can give your students 12 candies and ask how they can divide them equally among 3 friends. Then, have them use the candies to make 3 equal groups of 4.

  Explain that this is one way to divide: by making equal groups and finding how many are in each group.

• Use stories. Stories are a great way to engage your students and help them relate division to real-life situations. You can use books, videos or even make up your own stories that involve dividing something among people or things.

  For example, you can read a story about a farmer who has 15 cows and wants to put them in 5 pens. Then, ask your students how they can do that. Have them draw pictures or use manipulatives to show how he can divide the cows into 5 equal groups of 3.

  Explain that this is another way to divide: by finding how many groups of a certain size you can make from a larger group.

• Use songs. Songs are a fun way to help your students remember the facts and rules of division. You can use existing or makeup songs that rhyme or have catchy tunes. For example, you can sing a song like this:

Division is easy when you know what to do
You have to split things into equal groups
You can use objects or pictures or numbers too
And then you'll find the answer without any loops
Division is easy when you know what to do
You have to find how many times something fits
You can use multiplication or skip counting too
And then you'll find the answer without any splits

One of the most common ways of building division skills in kids is by helping them understand equal group division. To make equal groups, take a larger group of things and split it into smaller groups that have the same number of things in each group. For example, if you have 12 apples and you want to divide them into 4 equal groups, you can make 4 groups of 3 apples each.

To write a division sentence using equal groups, you need three numbers: the total number of things (the dividend), the number of groups (the divisor), and the number of things in each group (the quotient). The division sentence looks like this:

dividend ÷ divisor = quotient

For example, if you have 12 apples and you want to divide them into 4 equal groups, you can write:

12 ÷ 4 = 3

This means that 12 apples divided into 4 groups equals 3 apples in each group.

To evaluate a division sentence using equal groups, check if the quotient is correct. You can do this by multiplying the divisor and the quotient and seeing if you get the dividend. This is called the inverse operation of division. For example, if you have this division sentence:

15 ÷ 5 = 3

You can check if it is correct by multiplying the divisor and the quotient:

5 x 3 = 15

This means the division sentence is correct because 15 divided by 5 equals 3, and 5 times 3 equals 15.

Another way to understand division is by relating it to multiplication using equal groups. Multiplication and division are inverse operations, meaning they undo each other. For example, if you multiply 4 by 3, you get 12. If you divide 12 by 4, you get back to 3.

You can use this relationship to help you solve division problems using equal groups. For example, if you have this division problem:

24 ÷ ? = 6

You can think of it as a missing factor problem in multiplication:

? x 6 = 24

Then, you can use your knowledge of multiplication facts or skip counting to find the missing factor:

4 x 6 = 24

This means that the missing factor is 4, and the answer to the division problem is also 4:

24 ÷ ? = 6

24 ÷ 4 = 6

Another way to divide is by using arrays. Arrays are arrangements of objects or numbers in rows and columns that form a rectangle. For example, this is an array of 12 stars:

*   *   *   *
*   *   *   *
*   *   *   *

To write a division sentence using arrays, you need three numbers: the total number of things (the dividend), the number of rows (the divisor), and the number of things in each row (the quotient). The division sentence looks like this:

dividend ÷ divisor = quotient

For example, if you have an array of 12 stars with 3 rows and 4 stars in each row, you can write:

12 ÷ 3 = 4

This means 12 stars divided into 3 rows equals 4 stars in each row.

 

To evaluate a division sentence using arrays, you need to check if the quotient is correct. You can do this by multiplying the divisor and the quotient and seeing if you get the dividend. This is called the inverse operation of division.

• For example, if you have this division sentence: → 18 ÷ 6 = 3
• You can check if it is correct by multiplying the divisor and the quotient: → 6 x 3 = 18
• This means the division sentence is correct because 18 divided by 6 equals 3, and 6 times 3 equals 18.

You can also use arrays to relate multiplication and division. Multiplication and division are inverse operations, meaning they undo each other. For example, if you multiply 3 by 4, you get 12. If you divide 12 by 3, you get back to 4.

You can use this relationship to help you solve division problems using arrays. For example, if you have this division problem:

? ÷ 2 = 5

You can think of it as a missing factor problem in multiplication: →? x 2 = ?

Then, you can use an array to find the missing factor. You can make an array with 2 rows and 5 things in each row:

*   *   *   *   *   *
*   *   *   *   *   *

Then, you can count how many things are in the array: →10

This means that the missing factor is 10, and the answer to the division problem is also 10:

? ÷ 2 = 5

10 ÷ 2 = 5

Division can be tricky, but there are some tips and tricks for introducing division to 3rd graders. Also, visit Mathskills4kids.com and discover some effective strategies and worksheets to help your students succeed and become masters of division-solving.

Here are some of the tips:

• Use mnemonics. Mnemonics are memory aids that help you remember something by using words, phrases, or images. For example, you can use the acronym DMSB to remember the steps of long division: Divide, Multiply, Subtract, and Bring down.

  You can also use phrases like "Does McDonald's Sell Burgers?" or "Dad, Mom, Sister Brother" to remember the same steps.

• Use patterns. Patterns are regular or repeated arrangements of things that help you predict or find something. For example, you can use patterns to help you divide by powers of ten. When you divide by ten, you move the decimal point one place to the left.

  When you divide by a hundred, you move it to two places to the left. When you divide by a thousand, you move it three places to the left, and so on.

• Use shortcuts. Shortcuts are quick or easy ways to do something that saves time or effort. For example, shortcuts can help you divide by certain numbers. When you divide by two, you halve the number. When you divide by five, you multiply by two and move the decimal point one place to the left. When you divide by nine, you add up the digits of the number and see if they are divisible by nine.