Multiplication and division - The 3 times table - Planning

In the third year of primary education, during an Autumn term lesson on multiplication and division, students are introduced to the concept of dividing by 3. The lesson utilises a variety of resources including cubes, counters, worksheets, and a presentation to aid learning. Key vocabulary such as 'equal', 'division', 'dividend', 'divisor', 'quotient', 'array', and 'bar model' are highlighted to provide a clear understanding of the subject matter. The lesson commences with a review of previous learning and then progresses to an oral exercise where students count in threes both forwards and backwards, reinforcing their skip counting skills with a number line as a visual aid.

The class engages in practical activities, starting with arranging 18 counters into an array and dividing them into groups of three, prompting students to use stem sentences to describe their actions and solidify their understanding. As they work through the activities, students are encouraged to use concrete resources to represent the mathematical stories and articulate their thought processes using specific vocabulary. Partner work focuses on reasoning, where students explore the differences between partitive (sharing) and quotative (grouping) division, and the significance of the number 3 in each context. To conclude, the lesson includes a 'Give me five' reflection exercise, where students evaluate what they've learned, the skills they've used, and what they found challenging, ensuring they remember the key points of the lesson. Differentiated activities are provided to cater to varying levels of proficiency, from those working towards the expected level to those capable of greater depth, with tasks ranging from solving word problems to applying known division facts beyond basic multiplication tables.