Place value mats
Play money (bills and coins) or base ten blocks (if play money is not available)
Paper and pencils (for recording work and calculations)
Introduction to the Activity:
Explain that students will learn long division using play money to make the concept more relatable and engaging.
Introduce the concept of “wallets” as the number of groups to divide the money into (divisor).
Setting Up the Activity:
Provide each student or pair of students with a place value mat and a set of play money.
Write a dividend at the top of the mat for the students to work with.
Modeling the Division Process:
Start with a simple division problem where the numbers divide evenly, e.g., 862 ÷ 2.
Demonstrate how to split the play money into hundreds, tens, and ones, and then divide these into the number of wallets (divisors).
Hands-On Practice:
Have students practice dividing various dividends using the play money. They should:
Split the hundreds, tens, and ones separately.
Count the total in each wallet to find the quotient.
Emphasize counting and regrouping as needed.
Introducing Remainders:
Present a new problem with a remainder, e.g., 863 ÷ 2.
Show students how to handle the remainder by increasing the ones place by 1 to account for the extra value, and then write “r 1” at the end of the quotient.
Discussion and Reflection:
Discuss with the class how the play money helped them understand long division and how handling remainders works.
Reflect on the transition from easy problems to more complex ones and how the manipulatives help in visualizing and solving division problems.
Optional Extension:
Challenge students with more complex division problems, including those with larger remainders.
Encourage students to create their own division problems and solve them using play money.
This activity helps demystify long division by using a tactile and visual approach, making it more accessible and engaging for students.