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Introducing Division

Use the story “The Doorbell Rang” by Pat Hutchins to introduce the idea of equal shares
1. Read the story through.
2. Go over it a second time recording the division sentences on the board or chart paper.
3. Give each student a sheet of 81/2 by 11 inch paper and have them divide it into 8 equal sections (a fraction lesson all by itself). In the first section they record the title and name. Use the next four sections to illustrate the division of cookies that takes place as more and more children arrive. In the three remaining sections they continue the story with more cookies (the ones that grandma brought at the end of the story) and more children arriving.
Some children will end up with equations that require dividing individual cookies.

Extension:
1. Use POTD to follow up with problems like:
Draw a picture to show the answer:
- 6 boys share 20 cookies. How many cookies does each boy get? (Requires using a fraction to get equal shares.)
- 8 students share 35 books. How many books does each student get? (Requires a plan for the remaining books since they can’t be cut up.)