Lesson Plan
Divide & Discover
Students will be able to extract numerical information from a biography reading and apply the DABS (Divide, Ask, Subtract, Bring Down) strategy to solve division problems.
This lesson makes division more engaging by connecting it to real-world context through biographies, fostering both reading comprehension and mathematical reasoning skills.
Audience
4th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Integrated learning.
Materials
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Divide & Discover Lesson Plan and all linked materials: Divide & Discover Slide Deck, Trailblazer's Tales Reading, DABS Detective Worksheet, and DABS Detective Answer Key.
- Print copies of the Trailblazer's Tales Reading for each student.
- Print copies of the DABS Detective Worksheet for each student.
- Prepare to project the Divide & Discover Slide Deck.
- Have whiteboards or scratch paper available for student work during guided practice.
- Ensure markers or pencils are accessible for students.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Number Hunt (5 minutes)
5 minutes
Project the first slide of the Divide & Discover Slide Deck.
Ask students: "What are some numbers you see around you every day? (e.g., clocks, addresses, prices, ages)"
"How do we use these numbers?"
Introduce the idea that numbers tell stories, and today we'll be detectives finding numbers in stories to solve puzzles!
Step 2
Introduction to DABS (5 minutes)
5 minutes
Project the DABS strategy slide from the Divide & Discover Slide Deck.
Explain the DABS acronym: Divide, Ask (multiply), Subtract, Bring Down.
Model a simple division problem using DABS on the board or projector, emphasizing each step.
"Why is it helpful to have steps like DABS when we're solving division problems?"
Step 3
Read & Extract (10 minutes)
10 minutes
Distribute the Trailblazer's Tales Reading to each student.
Introduce the concept of a biography and the person it's about (e.g., a scientist, explorer, artist).
Instruct students to read the biography independently or with a partner, highlighting or circling any numbers they find.
"As you read, what numbers stand out to you? What do those numbers tell us about the person?"
Step 4
DABS Detective Work (8 minutes)
8 minutes
Distribute the DABS Detective Worksheet.
Explain that students will use the numbers they found in the biography to answer the division problems on the worksheet, applying the DABS strategy.
Work through the first problem together as a class, guiding students through each DABS step.
Allow students to work independently or in pairs to complete the remaining problems.
Step 5
Cool-Down: DABS Reflection (2 minutes)
2 minutes
Project the final slide of the Divide & Discover Slide Deck.
Ask students to share one thing they learned about division using DABS today.
"How did finding numbers in the biography help you understand division better?"
Collect the DABS Detective Worksheet to assess understanding.
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Number Detectives: Divide & Discover!
Can you find numbers all around you?
What stories do they tell?
Welcome students. Explain that today we're going on a 'number hunt' to see how numbers are everywhere and tell stories.
Meet DABS: Your Division Helper!
D: Divide
A: Ask (Multiply)
S: Subtract
B: Bring Down
A step-by-step guide to conquer division!
Introduce the DABS acronym clearly. Explain each step and its purpose. Emphasize that this is a strategy to help them solve division problems systematically.
Trailblazer Tales: Reading for Numbers
Read a short biography.
Find and highlight all the numbers you see!
What do these numbers tell us about the person's life?
Explain that students will be reading a short biography and looking for numbers within the text. They'll then use these numbers to solve division problems.
Let's Practice DABS Together!
We'll solve one problem from our worksheet as a class.
Watch closely as we use DABS!
Model one example problem from the worksheet using the DABS strategy. Go through each step out loud and show the work. Encourage students to ask questions.
Your Mission: DABS Detective!
Use your numbers from the biography.
Apply the DABS strategy to solve the problems on your worksheet.
Don't forget your steps!
Instruct students to work on the DABS Detective Worksheet individually or with a partner. Circulate to provide support and answer questions.
DABS Done! Reflection Time
What was one new thing you learned about division or our trailblazer today?
How did DABS help you solve the problems?
Bring the class back together. Ask students to share one new thing they learned about division or about the biography character. Collect worksheets.
Reading
The Life of Dr. Anya Sharma: A Starry Journey
Dr. Anya Sharma was born in a small town with a big sky. Even as a young girl, she was fascinated by the stars. At 8 years old, she received her first telescope, a gift that changed her life forever. She spent countless nights gazing at the constellations, dreaming of exploring space.
When Anya was 18, she left home to study at the university. She studied for 4 years to get her first degree in astrophysics. After that, she spent another 6 years earning her Ph.D. in planetary science. She was a brilliant student, often spending 12 hours a day in the library or laboratory.
At the age of 30, Dr. Sharma joined the National Space Agency. Her first big project was designing a new type of space probe. The probe traveled 24 billion miles to study distant planets. It took 3 years to build and launch the probe, and another 6 years for it to reach its destination.
Dr. Sharma also loved teaching. She mentored 28 young scientists during her career, helping them discover their own passion for space. She published 7 groundbreaking research papers and gave 14 lectures to students across the country.
By the time she retired at 65, Dr. Sharma had inspired thousands. She proved that with dedication and a love for learning, anyone can reach for the stars and beyond.
Worksheet
DABS Detective Worksheet: Dr. Sharma's Division
Instructions: Read each problem carefully. Use the DABS strategy (Divide, Ask/Multiply, Subtract, Bring Down) to solve each division problem. Show all your work!
Problem 1:
Dr. Sharma spent 12 hours a day in the lab. If she worked for 4 days, and divided her time equally among 4 different experiments each day, how many hours did she spend on each experiment per day?
Show your DABS work below:
Problem 2:
Dr. Sharma mentored 28 young scientists. If she divided them into groups of 7 for a special project, how many groups did she form?
Show your DABS work below:
Problem 3:
Her first degree took 4 years, and her Ph.D. took 6 years. If she gave 14 lectures in total, and she gave an equal number of lectures each year she was studying for her Ph.D., how many lectures did she give per Ph.D. year?
Show your DABS work below:
Problem 4:
The space probe traveled 24 billion miles and it took 6 years to reach its destination. If it traveled the same distance each year, how many billion miles did it travel per year?
Show your DABS work below:
Answer Key
DABS Detective Answer Key: Dr. Sharma's Division
Instructions: Review the step-by-step solutions for each division problem, following the DABS strategy.
Problem 1:
Dr. Sharma spent 12 hours a day in the lab. If she worked for 4 days, and divided her time equally among 4 different experiments each day, how many hours did she spend on each experiment per day?
Question: 12 hours / 4 experiments = ? hours per experiment
Solution using DABS:
- Divide: 12 ÷ 4
- Ask (Multiply): What times 4 equals 12? 3 x 4 = 12
- Subtract: 12 - 12 = 0
- Bring Down: (No more numbers to bring down)
Answer: Dr. Sharma spent 3 hours on each experiment per day.
Problem 2:
Dr. Sharma mentored 28 young scientists. If she divided them into groups of 7 for a special project, how many groups did she form?
Question: 28 scientists / 7 scientists per group = ? groups
Solution using DABS:
- Divide: 28 ÷ 7
- Ask (Multiply): What times 7 equals 28? 4 x 7 = 28
- Subtract: 28 - 28 = 0
- Bring Down: (No more numbers to bring down)
Answer: She formed 4 groups.
Problem 3:
Her first degree took 4 years, and her Ph.D. took 6 years. If she gave 14 lectures in total, and she gave an equal number of lectures each year she was studying for her Ph.D., how many lectures did she give per Ph.D. year?
Question: 14 lectures / 6 Ph.D. years = ? lectures per year (This problem involves a remainder, which is good for 4th grade!)
Solution using DABS:
- Divide: 14 ÷ 6
- Ask (Multiply): What times 6 is closest to 14 without going over? 2 x 6 = 12
- Subtract: 14 - 12 = 2
- Bring Down: (No more numbers to bring down)
Answer: She gave 2 lectures per Ph.D. year with 2 lectures remaining.
Problem 4:
The space probe traveled 24 billion miles and it took 6 years to reach its destination. If it traveled the same distance each year, how many billion miles did it travel per year?
Question: 24 billion miles / 6 years = ? billion miles per year
Solution using DABS:
- Divide: 24 ÷ 6
- Ask (Multiply): What times 6 equals 24? 4 x 6 = 24
- Subtract: 24 - 24 = 0
- Bring Down: (No more numbers to bring down)
Answer: It traveled 4 billion miles per year.