LOOOOONG Division

The only time I ever lied to ANY of my teachers, was in 5th grade. It was over a long division packet.  Sorry Mrs. Larabee, I didn't lose my packet, I am pretty sure I burned it and hid in a deep dark crevasse in the earth. Well, maybe I just tossed it, but if I had that packet now, I would most certainly find pleasure in destroying it right proper!

The guilt I have carried for the past undefined years, has made a lasting impression on how I approach teaching long division with my own 5th graders.  I truly try not to impose my own distaste for completing long division algorithms with my class, but my stomach turns at a page of long division problems.

I will never give my students a packet of long division problems, nor will they ever have to complete a whole page of long division in one sitting.

After completing several directed lessons from our math series on how to complete long division using estimation strategies with the divisor, students were to complete 25 long division algorithms.

I took the opportunity to have students analyze one algorithm with a partner using this worksheet I created using the Icons of Depth and Complexity. This is available for free at my TPT store.

Freebie!

Student Samples

After students completed this in depth analysis with a partner, students were then directed to complete an "Explain Everything" presentation using the iPads (see below for the link). In this presentation, they needed to describe the thought process of completing this problem to a student who may not know how solve the problem.

This is just a sample, and as you can see, there is an error.

But, the error provides opportunities for discussion.

I gave the students a 20 minute time limit, which turned into 30 minutes, but they were very very engaged and using scholarly language while creating their presentations.  These presentations were limited in pizzaz and fine tuning, but due to the time constraint, it is what I expected and requested!  If I had given them all day, these would have been masterpieces complete with light saber pointers and other flair.  

When they finished, I had them complete each other's problems from the assignment, with the promise that we would check our work using the presentations students created. I did not have the students complete all the problems, only about half the problems, and of those, the most difficult.  My rationale is that if students can work through a difficult problem with a partner and understand the process, then they do not need to complete a whole page of mindless algorithms.

I will say this is the most successful I have been at teaching and mastering long division and the students enjoyed it too!  My principal observed this lesson as part of my yearly review and commented on how this lesson was a perfect example of a teacher being a "facilitator."

Success!

IMS Bove