How to Teach Division with Arrays | FREE Interactive Notebook
Division with Arrays
Looking for a way to teach division? Check out this interactive notebook for a hands-on, manipulative-based way to teach division with arrays.
They sit there staring at their paper. Their eyes have glazed over, and their head and shoulder are hanging low.
You can see the frustration seeping out their pores, and you know that they are about to give up.
It isn’t calculus or algebra you are teaching. No, it is not even the Pythagorean Theorem. It is just division. Division with a two-digit divisor.
For some of our precious children division can be incredibly hard, and when you add a two-digit divisor – division becomes even harder.
Teaching Division
I’m a firm believer in providing different methods for solving a problem. Yes, some may take a little longer, but wouldn’t you rather your child or student spend a little more time on a problem and get it right.
I would take that over them trying it the “quick” or traditional way and consistently get it wrong.
One “different method” is to teach division using arrays. This is a very hands-on, manipulative based method using grid paper or base ten blocks.
Arrays for Division
Interactive notebooks can be as complicated or as simple as you want them to be. This free interactive notebook printable is as simple as you can go.
All you need is a
- spiral notebook
- Free printable (found at the bottom of the post)
- pencil
- scissors
- glue
Most interactive notebooks need these items, so it works great if you store them in a pencil pouch. Students can grab their notebook and pencil pouch and they are set.
None of that scourging around while you wait impatiently to begin the lesson.
Or my favorite, “I can’t find the glue.”
Which is normally followed by an exasperated, “Your fingers are about to touch it!!!!”
Teaching Division using Arrays
If you are absolutely unsure how to teach division using arrays, I would start by checking out this video from Learn Zillon. Learn Zillion will visually show you step-by-step instructions on how to teach this.
Next, grab your free printable, and walk through the notes slowly with your child or students. The interactive notes will help you and your students create their first array from a division problem.
Division Interactive Notebook
- First, cut out enough grid paper to equal the dividend. This is a great review for place value too. If you are cutting out 345, you should cut out 3 flats, 4 longs, and 5 cubes. Right?
- Next, use the divisor to decide how many equal columns there will be.
- Now glue the grid paper into the spiral notebook to make your first columns.
- If the divisor is 12, your students should glue in a flat and two longs.
- If the divisor is 9, your students would just glue in 9 longs.
- If the divisor is 24, your students would glue in two flats and four longs.
- Next, use whatever pieces are left of the grid paper to make one row at a time. This may require the students to cut the longs into cubes. For example, if 12 is your divisor then you would glue down one long and 2 cubes in each row.
- Finally, when your students can no longer make a full row, they are finished. The number of rows they made is the answer, while any remaining longs and cubes are the remainder.
Isn’t this a fun way to introduce division to your kiddos? It sure beats the dejection and frustration that often comes with those nasty two-digit divisors. Enjoy some smiles and interaction with this activity.
Interactive Math Notebook
Below is the free interactive division notebook. You can download it by clicking on the download button.
