Math lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes
Decide what to do with a remainder
Multiplication and division
CCSS 4.OA.A.3England: Y5 Multiplication and division
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Decide what to do with a remainder.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Division with remainders
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Counters for arrays, Multiplication grid, Base-ten blocks, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Division with remainders). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- 47 ÷ 4 = ? remainder 3. What is the missing quotient? → 11Prompt: Which multiple of 4 is just below 47?
- 64 eggs are packed into boxes of 7. How many boxes can be completely filled? → 9Prompt: Divide 64 by 7.
- 74 ÷ 7 = ? remainder 4. What is the missing quotient? → 10Prompt: Which multiple of 7 is just below 74?
Hook · 5 min
- Show an array of chairs, eggs or windows and ask how many there are without counting one by one.
- Share the objective: Decide what to do with a remainder. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: 38 people are going on a trip. Each minibus holds 5 people. How many minibuses are needed so everyone can go?
- Step 1: 38 ÷ 5 = 7 r 3
- Step 2: Round up: 8 minibuses.
- Step 3: 8
- Answer: 8
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- 45 people are going on a trip. Each minibus holds 8 people. How many minibuses are needed so everyone can go? → 6Prompt: 45 ÷ 8 has a remainder. Can you leave those people behind?
- A baker has 31 cupcakes and puts them into boxes of 8. How many boxes can be completely filled? → 3Prompt: Work out 31 ÷ 8.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- 81 people are going on a trip. Each minibus holds 7 people. How many minibuses are needed so everyone can go? → 12Prompt: 81 ÷ 7 has a remainder. Can you leave those people behind?
- Ravi shares 50 marbles equally among 6 friends, giving out as many as possible. How many marbles are left over? → 2Prompt: How many does each friend get? 6 × ? is close to 50.
Watch out for
- Thinking multiplying always makes a number bigger.
- Dropping a zero in long multiplication when moving to the tens row.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Division with remainders.
- Use concrete materials: counters for arrays.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-4.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder