Introducing Division (III)

However, remember that it is always possible and essential to restructure all the activities introducing the partitive division to introduce measurement division and vice versa.

Folding and cutting paper - This activity is suitable for a big group of children as well. The children are provided with a strip of paper. They are either asked to stick the readymade dots or draw colored dots; which are equally spaced. The number of dots should be completely divisible, for younger children. Alternatively, the paper strips may have holes punched in them. If we are teaching the division ten divided by ten, the children are asked to draw/stick ten dots. They are asked, how many dots there are? When the whole class answers as Ten, they are told to fold over the paper after every two dots. Next we pose a question- 'Now, how many parts make up the whole strip? Count them.'-Five. 'how many lots of two make up ten?'- Five.

It is clear from the activity, we measure the number of twos that can make up ten. Thus, this activity involves the idea of division by measurement. Strips of paper could be used to cover all the early division facts.

Playing a pay-person- Children are provided with coins made of cardboard. Counters can also be used for coins. Children are asked to make piles of equal number of coins. Suppose, we give ten coins/counters to a child, and tell him that each workman must be given two coins for his work. So he makes piles, putting two coins/counters in each. The question he is trying to answer is - 'How many workmen he can pay?' Thus, in this situation the child is measuring or making groups of equal number of objects. This activity thus provides the opportunity to divide by measurement.

Hoisting the flags - We provide some flags to the children, suppose fifteen. We tell them that they are going to build castles, so that each castle has three flags. How many such castles they would need to build to use all the given flags? Here, to find out the answer, we allow them to build castles.

Number-strips matching- Children are provided with strips of different lengths and ask to find out how many smaller strips of a particular length would make a bigger strip of given length. For example, give a strip eighteen units long and some strips, which are all three units long. Ask the child to find out the number of three units long strips that together would make a strip eighteen units longer? In this situation they put three units long strips end to end, on the eighteen units long strip. Then they count the total number of smaller strips that went into the longer strip.

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