Grade 3 Division Strategies

Alberta Specific Learning Outcome:

12. Demonstrate an understanding of division (limited to division related to multiplication facts
up to 5 x 5) by:
● Representing and explaining division using equal sharing and equal grouping
● Creating and solving problems in context that involve equal sharing and equal grouping
● Modelling equal sharing and equal grouping using concrete and visual representations,
and recording the process symbolically
● Relating division to repeated subtraction
● Relating division to multiplication

Introduction to Division Formative Assessment: How Many Ways

● To find out about students’ prior knowledge of division, ask them to discuss, “What is
division?” What does it mean and what kind of things can be divided? The focus is to
find out what they understand about division and the mathematical notation used, equal
grouping and equal sharing. Take note of student misconceptions.
● Lead the students to understand that division either means equal sharing or equal
grouping.
● Give the students in your class about twenty minutes to show 6÷3 in as many ways as
they can. Have them do it on blank paper or whiteboards.
● Have the students present their strategies either to you, to a partner, or to the class.
● Record the various strategies that you observe the students using and explaining. Look
for strategies such as repeated subtraction, number line, drawing groups, arrays, skip
counting, etc.

Division - Introduction to Equal Grouping (Quotative Division)

Learning Objectives:
● Students will be able to identify events from experience that can be described as equal
grouping
● Students will be able to illustrate, with counters or a diagram, a given story problem,
presented orally, that involves equal grouping; and solve the problem.
● Students will be able to listen to a story problem; represent the numbers, using
manipulatives or a sketch; and record the problem with a number sentence.
● Students will be able to create and illustrate, with counters, a story problem for a given
number sentence; e.g., 6÷3 = 2.

Explore
1. Ask the students to brainstorm real-life situations where they see equal groups (e.g.,
cookies on trays, tennis balls in packages, sports teams).
Enactive Representation
 2. Develop an oral story for the following scenario. A student brought 12 cars to school. He
wants to divide these cars such that each student gets 2 cars. Model the story by acting
it out in front of the class. Ask the students how many students received cars. Ask,
“What equation could we write for the groups formed?” Possible equations include:
2+2+2+2+2+2=12, 6 x 2 = 12. Write the equation 12÷2 = 6 and say “12 toy cars divided
by 2 cars for each student means that 6 kids get cars; 12 divided by 2 is 6.” Repeat as
necessary until students gain comfortability. Please note that other examples could
certainly involve leftovers or remainders.
3. Place students in random groups of 3 using cards. Using a variety of manipulatives,
have develop a story around 2 numbers. Ex) 10 and 5. Students need to show how
many groups will be created through division. Students can draw pictures or explain their
thinking using the manipulatives and also using numbers.
4. Share and discuss each groups story to the class.
Iconic Representation
5. Show 20 eggs on the Smartboard. Ask, “How many groups of 4 eggs can we make if we
have 20 to work with?” After receiving several answers, ask a student to demonstrate
how to verify the answer of 5 groups of 4. To clarify, circle each group of four and then
count the number of groups. Groups can be represented by dragging pictures of eggs
into pictures of nests on the Smartboard. Ask, “What equation could we write for the
groups formed?” Possible equations include: 4+4+4+4+4=20, 5 x 4 = 20. Write the
equation 20÷4 = 5 and say “20 counters divided by 4 counters in each group means that
we 5 groups; 20 divided by 4 is 5.” Repeat as necessary until students gain
comfortability. Please note that other examples could certainly involve leftovers or
remainders. Have students create a story to go with the above situation.
6. Provide each student with a mini-whiteboard and whiteboard marker. Orally state the
following problems and have them iconically represent their solution on the whiteboards:
i. Model - enact problem B together as a class. Show how to represent the
problem symbolically
b. There are 8 bottles of glue. Each building group will get two bottles. How many
building groups will get glue? Extension: How many more bottles of glue will Ms
L need to get for every building group to have two bottles of glue?
i. Students will use the whiteboard to represent their understanding of the
problem below.
c. Ms. Lowry has 10 pieces of paper to hand out for booklet covers. Each student
needs two pieces of paper to make a cover. How many students can have two
pieces? Extension: How many more pieces of paper would she need to get for
everyone to get two pieces of paper?
Symbolic Representation
7. Show/model with the students a model and ask them to orally create a story problem to
match. Ensure that student problems are required to solve the number of groups. Ask
students orally share their stories, draw the corresponding iconic representation and
then prompt the students to symbolically represent the equation.
 8. Put the students in random groups. Assign each student to a vertical non-permanent
learning surface. Each group should only have one whiteboard marker. Show the
students a model and ask them to create a story problem to match and then write the
symbolic equation.

9. Next, show the groups the equation 15÷3 = and ask them to create a story problem to
match, draw the model, and then write the symbolic equation. Remind the students to
use the word “groups” in their question.
10. Purposely use the words dividend, divisor, and quotient in your teaching. When one
number is divided by another, the number being divided is the dividend. The other
number is the divisor. The result is the quotient.

Side note: Although this outcome does not deal specifically with remainders, sometimes when
dividing, students will discover that there will be remainders. A Remainder of One by Elinor J.
Pinczes could be used, for example, to engage students in a discussion about remainders. This
book reviews the relationship between multiplication and division while realizing, at times, there
may be a remainder when putting objects into equal groups or sets. Read the story and stop at
the sentence “The troop had divided by two for the show”. Ask students to predict how many
bugs would be in each line. Would there be any bugs left out? How many? Why? Stop
throughout the story and make predictions as above. Ask students what they think, for example,
when oddball bug Joe is thinking throughout the night that a fourth bug line would work out.
Would a fourth line solve the problem? How do you know? Using this book as a springboard,
have pairs of students create their own division problem for other pairs to solve later. Problems
may or may not contain a remainder. It is also important for students to act out story problems
using classroom objects that involve remainders. Remainders as a natural part of division and
students should deal with them as they begin to learn how to divide. Allow students to deal with
the concept of “leftovers” or remainders, beginning with these very first experiences.

Connect
1. Play the game with the students: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me3us/flash/
2. Click on the first crystal from the left. Read the word problem aloud to the students. Work
through the problem with the students. After checking the answer, read the message at
 the bottom of the screen. Ask the students to represent this sentence symbolically in an
equation. Ask the students why the equation is not the opposite (i.e. with the divisor and
quotient switched).
3. Click on the second crystal from the left. Ask the students to write a division sentence
that describes the number of equal groups. Fill in each space, then click on CHECK.
Again, ask the students why it the equation is not the opposite (i.e. with the divisor and
quotient switched).
4. Click on the third crystal from the left. Read the word problem aloud to the students.
Work through the problem with the students. After checking the answer, read the
message at the bottom of the screen. Ask the students to represent this sentence
symbolically in an equation. Ask the students why the equation is not the opposite (i.e.
with the divisor and quotient switched).
5. Click on the fourth crystal from the left. Ask the students to write a division sentence that
describes the number of equal groups. Fill in each space, then click on CHECK. Again,
ask the students why it the equation is not the opposite (i.e. with the divisor and quotient
switched).
6. Assign the students to a vertical learning surface. Provide the class with the number
sentence 10÷2. Ask the students to draw the grouping model that represents the
number sentence. Then have them generate a word problem that represents their
model.
7. Formative assessment of vocabulary: grouping, dividend, divisor, quotient.

Practice
1. In order to practice using the grouping model, pose the students with the following
problem:
Ms. Nicolaou is making a new seating plan. There are 20 students in the class. How
many desk groups could she make? Draw a grouping model and write the symbolic
equation.
2. Encourage the students to generate as many answers as possible. Prompt students by
asking: What if there are 2 students at each group? What if there are 4 students at each
group? What if there are 5 students at each group? Allow students to experiment with
solutions that have leftovers/remainders.
3. Note that this activity may be done individually on a piece of paper and collected for
assessment purposes or it may be done in random groupings on the Vertical Non-
Permanent Learning Surfaces.

Division - Introduction to Equal Sharing (Partitive Division)

Learning Objectives:
● Students will be able to identify events from experience that can be described as equal
sharing
● Students will be able to illustrate, with counters or a diagram, a given story problem,
presented orally, that involves equal sharing; and solve the problem.
 ● Students will be able to listen to a story problem; represent the numbers, using
manipulatives or a sketch; and record the problem with a number sentence.
● Students will be able to create and illustrate, with counters, a story problem for a given
number sentence; e.g., 6/3=2.
Explore
1. Ask the students to brainstorm real-life situations where they see equal sharing (e.g.,
money, cards in a game, a box of chocolate, a carton of strawberries).
Enactive Representation
2. Read the story “The Doorbell Rang” by Pat Hutchins. Stop at the sentence, “Share them
between yourselves.” and insert the word “equally” each time. Ask the students to
predict how many cookies the two children will have, the four children, the six children,
and so on.
3. Develop an oral story for the following scenario. A student brought 15 cookies today
(these can just be paper print out cookies). He would like to share these cookies equally
with five students. Model the story by acting it out in front of the class. Ask the students
how many cookies each student received. Ask, “What equation could we write?”
Possible equations include: 5+5+5=15, 5 x 3 = 15. Write the equation 15÷5 = 3 and say
“15 cookies shared equally between 5 students means each student received 3 cookies;
15÷5 = 3.” Repeat as necessary until students gain comfortability. Please note that other
examples could certainly involve leftovers or remainders.
4. Place students in random groups of 3 using cards. Using a variety of manipulatives,
have them develop a story around 2 numbers. Ex) 8 and 2. Students need to show how
many items there will be in each group. Students can draw pictures or explain their
thinking using the manipulatives and also using numbers.
5. Share and discuss each groups story to the class.
6. Extra activity: Ask students to remove their shoes and place all of them in a pile. Provide
5 large boxes and ask students to equally share the shoes among the boxes. Should
there be leftovers, or remainders, observe how students deal with them. As a class,
record the results using pictures, numbers, and words.
Iconic Representation
7. Show 25 counters on the Smartboard. Ask the students to predict how many are in each
group if we share the 25 counters equally between 5 groups. After receiving several
answers, ask a student to demonstrate how to verify the answer of 5 groups of 5. To
clarify, circle each group of 5 and then count the number in each group. Ask, “What
equation could we write for the groups formed?” Possible equations include:
5+5+5+5+5=25, 5 x 5 = 25. Write the equation 25÷5 = 5 and say “25 counters equally
shared between 5 groups means that we have 5 in each group.” Repeat as necessary
until students gain comfortability. Please note that other examples could certainly involve
leftovers or remainders.
8. Provide each student with a mini-whiteboard and whiteboard marker. Orally state the
following problems and have them iconically represent their solution on the whiteboards:
a. There are 24 strawberries in the carton. Share the strawberries equally among 6
students. How many strawberries will each student get?
 b. Our class has 20 fish. Miss Murphy has 5 fishbowls. How many fish should go in
each fishbowl?

Symbolic Representation
9. Show the students a model and ask them to orally create a story problem to match.
Ensure that student problems are required to solve the number in each group. Ask
students orally share their stories, draw the corresponding iconic representation and
then prompt the students to symbolically represent the equation.

10. Put the students in random groups. Assign each student to a vertical non-permanent
learning surface. Each group should only have one whiteboard marker. Show the
students a model and ask them to create a story problem to match and then write the
symbolic equation.

11. Next, show the groups the equation 6÷2 = and ask them to create a story problem to
match, draw the model, and then write the symbolic equation.
12. Purposely use the words dividend, divisor, and quotient in your teaching. When one
number is divided by another, the number being divided is the dividend. The other
number is the divisor. The result is the quotient.

Connect
1. Play the video for the students: https://learnzillion.com/resources/46218
2. The students will have small whiteboards and whiteboard markers. While the students
watch the video, and particularly during the chocolates problem (0:52), have the
students visually represent the problem alongside the video.
3. At 2:09, pause the video and ask the students to represent this division problem
symbolically on their whiteboards.
4. At 2:47, have the students attempt to solve the problem on the whiteboard first or have
the students visually represent the problem alongside the video.
5. Again, pause at 3:24 and ask the students to represent this division problem
symbolically on their whiteboards.
6. At 3:54, have a class discussion about what they think it means to divide through the
sharing model and how this is different than the grouping model.
 7. Assign the students to a vertical learning surface. Provide the class with the number
sentence 16÷4. Ask the students to draw the sharing model that represents the number
sentence. Then have them generate a word problem that represents their model.
8. Formative assessment of vocabulary: sharing, grouping, dividend, divisor, quotient.

Practice
1. In order to practice using the grouping model, pose the students with the following
problem:
Your lunchroom supervisor is making a new seating plan! There are 20 students in the
lunchroom. How many students will be at each table? Draw a sharing model and write
the symbolic equation.
2. Encourage the students to generate as many answers as possible. Prompt students by
asking: What if there are 2 students at each group? What if there are 4 students at each
group? What if there are 5 students at each group? Allow students to experiment with
solutions that have leftovers/remainders.
3. Note that this activity may be done individually on a piece of paper and collected for
assessment purposes or it may be done in random groupings on the Vertical Non-
Permanent Learning Surfaces.

Division - Equal Sharing (Partitive) or Equal Grouping (Quotative)?

Learning Objective: Students will be able to distinguish between division problems that
represent equal sharing (partitioning) and equal grouping (quotative).

Explore
1. Ask the students how the two scenarios below are different. Encourage students to
arrive to answers such as the first shows how many groups and asks to find how many
are in each group, while the second shows how many each group receives and asks to
find how many groups.

2. Present to the students, and show an anchor chart, the following information:
a. Equal Grouping (Quotative)
i. We know - How many in each group
 ii. We want to know - How many groups
b. Equal Sharing (Partitioning)
i. We know - How many groups
ii. We want to know - How many in each group
Enactive Representation
3. Outline a “debate” line within your classroom. Explain to the students that they will stand
on one side of the debate line if they think a problem is an equal grouping problem, on
the other side of the debate line if they think a problem is an equal sharing problem, and
in the middle if they are still unsure. After students choose a side, take time to have
some volunteers justify their thinking.
4. Orally state a variety of equal sharing and equal grouping problems, and have the
students choose a side based on if they think it is equal sharing or equal grouping. If
students are struggling with determining the difference between equal sharing and equal
grouping, try having them enact each problem or use gestures, and intentionally draw
attention to if they are sharing equally or grouping equally.
a. 3 children received 6 applies. How many apples will each child receive. (equal
sharing)
b. 10 students want to play basketball. There are 5 players on a school team. How
many teams can be made? (equal grouping)
c. Ms. Nicolaou is hanging out packages of candy. She puts 3 candies in each bag.
She has 15 candies. How many bags can Ms. Nicolaou make? (equal grouping)
d. There are 50 cards. Divide the cards equally for 4 players to play a game. (equal
sharing)
Iconic & Symbolic Representation
5. Put the students in random groups. Assign each student to a vertical non-permanent
learning surface. Each group should only have one whiteboard marker. Pose the
questions to the students:
a. “Make a story problem that would require equal grouping division. Construct a
representation to show your thinking.”
b. “Make a story problem that would require equal sharing division. Construct a
representation to show your thinking.”
6. After the students have had some time to generate problems, bring the students
together to examine each problem. Ask the students if each problem is an equal
grouping or equal sharing division problem and why.

Connect
1. Play the video: https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/6542-visualizing-a-division-word-
problem/
2. For each problem demonstrated, ask the students to reword the question modelled from
one equal sharing to equal grouping or vice versa using the vocabulary discussed in
class.

Practice
 1. In order to practice distinguishing between the grouping model and sharing model, pose
the students with the equation 10÷5. Ask the students to generate one equal sharing
problem and one equal grouping problem that connects to the equation 10÷5.
Encourage the students to generate as many answers as possible and label their
problems as either equal sharing or equal grouping.
4. Note that this activity may be done individually on a piece of paper and collected for
assessment purposes or it may be done in random groupings on the Vertical Non-
Permanent Learning Surfaces.

Notes/Thoughts
● Focus on the strategy of multiplication, then differentiate the factors based on the
grade/student need.
● Consider doing some “pre-teaching” before using vertical non-permanent learning
surfaces to introduce multiplication strategies. Set up your rules for the vertical non-
permanent learning surfaces, and perhaps have the students practice this first using
familiar concepts (i.e. solving an addition, subtraction, or multiplication problem).
● A lesson plan was not created for repeated subtraction, as it was indicated that this was
the main strategy already used. Classroom teachers should continue to use repeated
subtraction. Teachers should consider having the students represent a given division
expression as repeated subtraction as well as having the students represent a given
repeated subtraction problem as a division expression.
● Consider using the “Multiplication” lesson plans previously created for you and do the
inverse for division. Have the students find fact families through using arrays.
● Consider making an anchor chart each time you introduce a new division strategy.