Division Discovery

Objective

Students will understand and solve division of two-digit numbers by one-digit numbers using hands-on activities and visual aids.

Curriculum Standards

• Common Core State Standards - Mathematics
  • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NBT.B.6: Find whole-number quotients of whole numbers with up to four-digit dividends and one-digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division.

Materials Needed

• Large manipulatives (e.g., base-ten blocks or counters)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Division flashcards
• 'Division Bingo' cards
• Small dry erase boards and markers for students
• Division story problem worksheets

Lesson Overview (45 minutes)

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Begin by asking students if they have ever shared items like candy or toys with friends and how they decided how much each friend gets. Connect sharing to division.
• Write a simple two-digit dividend and one-digit divisor on the board (e.g., 36 ÷ 3). Ask what strategies they might use to solve it.

Direct Instruction (10 minutes)

• Concept Introduction: Explain division vocabulary: dividend, divisor, and quotient. Use a real-life context (e.g., "If we have 36 apples and want to divide them into 3 equal baskets, how many apples go into each basket?")
• Modeling Using Manipulatives: Demonstrate the division of 36 by 3 using base-ten blocks. Show the connection between grouping and division. Break down the problem step by step:
  • Start by making equal groups with tens.
  • Distribute leftover tens as ones if needed, and continue making equal groups.
• Visual Support: Draw corresponding pictures on the board alongside the manipulatives.

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

• Flashcard Practice: Distribute division flashcards to students and practice solving them using manipulatives collaboratively.
• Students work in pairs. One student shows a flashcard while the other uses counters to find the quotient. Switch roles and repeat.
• Teacher circulates the room, offering support and asking guiding questions.

Hands-On Activity (10 minutes)

• Division Bingo: Distribute 'Division Bingo' cards to students.
  • Call out division problems and have students solve each one.
  • Students place markers on the quotients on their Bingo cards.
  • First student to complete a line on their Bingo card yells "Bingo!" and shares how they solved one of the division problems.

Independent Practice (7 minutes)

• Whiteboard Problems: Give each student a small dry-erase board.
  • Present 2-3 division problems on the board.
  • Students independently solve problems using drawings or counters, then write and show their answers on their boards.
  • Offer immediate feedback and guidance as needed.

Closing and Assessment (3 minutes)

• Reflection: Ask students to share one thing they found interesting or fun about today’s lesson. Prompt them to explain how manipulatives helped them understand division.
• Exit Ticket: Provide a quick story problem that involves dividing a two-digit number by a one-digit number. Collect as a formative assessment of their understanding.

Differentiation Strategies

• For students needing extra support: Use larger manipulatives like foam blocks to physically represent numbers.
• For advanced learners: Introduce simple remainder concepts using manipulatives in extended problems.
• Provide visual aids and step-by-step guides to reinforce learning.

Evaluation

• Assess student participation and understanding during hands-on activities.
• Observe student problem-solving strategies during independent practice and Bingo.
• Review exit tickets to check comprehension and plan for any necessary re-teaching.

This detailed, engaging lesson plan provides multiple ways to cater to diverse learners, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of division for special education students at the 6th-grade level.