Group Operations: dynamic division — The Wonderful World of Montessori

Group operations: Dynamic division (with change)

How is dynamic division done using the golden beads?

This activity is very similar to static division, only this time an exchange will be taking place. The directress usually presents this activity with a group of children.

The directress asks the children to lay out floor mats on the carpet one by one. She then asks one child to lay out the small number cards on one of the mats, she asks another child to lay out the large number cards on another mat and golden beads on another.

The directress makes up a number, for example, 5672 in large number cards. She gives each child a tray and tells them that this number is going to be shared between them. She tells them that she will be dividing this number between two children.

She begins with the thousands, she gives each child a thousand, then a second thousand, and says to the children that there is one thousand left over but she can’t give one thousand to one child as the other child won’t get one and each child must get the same amount. The directress then tells them that she can exchange one thousand for 10-hundred squares, as one thousand is the same ten hundreds. The children exchange one thousand and collect 10 hundred squares from the bank. The 10 hundred squares are placed above the hundred pile.

The directress then explains to the children that they now have 16 hundred squares and she will divide them equally between the two.

She then divides the 7 tens between them, each child gets three tens each but they realize there is one ten left over which needs to be exchanged for ten units. She reminds them that ten units are the same as one ten. The children exchange the ten-bead bar and collect ten units from the bank. The ten units are placed in the unit pile.

The directress then divides the 12 units between the two children equally. Each child should get six units and the small number card 6.

The directress recaps the lesson and tells the children that she had 5672 and divided it by 2, she solved the problem and got an answer of 2836. Both children should have 2836 in small number cards on their tray, the directress places one of the child’s answers above the large number cards on the mat. She helps the children pack away.

Looking for more Montessori activities?

Here is a list of all the Montessori Maths activities including Early Maths, Introduction to the Decimal System, Seguin Boards, The Hundred Board, The Short Bead Stair, Bead Chains, The Snake Game, Group Operations, The Large Number Rods, Recording with the Small Number Rods, The Short Bead Stair, The Strip Boards, The Boards, The Stamp Game, The Abacus, The Dot Game, and Fractions. Just click on the page you want to learn about to go there.