Ashley Runyon

September 8, 2015
Graduated Difficulty Lesson Plan
Graduated Difficulty Strategy
Lesson: Graduated Difficulty
Time: 70 minutes
SUMMARY:
The students will use what they already know about dividing one digit divisor by
four-digit dividends to independently choose the appropriate tiered activity to
complete, while gradually moving up in difficulty.
STANDARDS:
MCC4.NBT.6 Find whole-number quotients and remainders with up to four-digit
dividends and one-digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, the
properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division.
Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or
area models.
HO/CTS2: The students responds to questions with supporting information that
reflects in-depth knowledge of a topic.
CPS2: The student designs, applies, evaluates, and adapts a variety of innovative
strategies to when problem solving.
CPS4: The student demonstrates skills in fluency and flexibility to solve problems of
create new products.

CPS9: The student recognizes and assumes risks as a necessary part of

problem solving.
Essential Question: Why is it important for mathematicians to have a step-by-step
procedure to solve problems?
Enduring Understanding(s): Making a decision based off of certain abilities and
confidence in knowledge of math standard
Assessing ones own learning tier
OBJECTIVES: The students will
1. Know
a. Basic understanding of place value
b. Vocabularydividend/divisor/division
c. Basic understanding of how to divide into 3-4 digit numbers
d. Fact families
2. Understand
a. The value of each digit in a number
b. How division makes numbers smaller (creating smaller groups)
c. What numbers to divide by and into
d. What happens when a number does not go equally into another
3. Do
a. Divide a one to two digit divisor into 3-4 digit dividends
b. Divide a one to two digit divisor into 3-4 digit dividends with zeroes
c. Solve division problems with remainders
MATERIALS
LESSON DESCRIPTION

Handouts (15 of each)

1. Directions for dividing into 2-3
digit numbers
2. Decide Questionaire
3. Worksheets A, B, C, D
4. Summary sheet
Activ Inspire/Projector to display
directions/warm-up

Hook: On the projector on the board,

display the following question:
What are the steps you take to tie your
shoe? Share as a table. Next discuss
what would happen if all of these steps
were out of order. Introduce the EQ.
1. Discuss the rules for division
(divisor goes into dividenddivide
divisor into each digit in each
place value, Does McDonalds
Serve CheeseburgersDivide,
Multiply, Subtract, Check)
2. Explain that today, students will
use what they know about division
to choose an appropriate activity
demonstrating their knowledge.
Explain that each activity is for an
individual, not what your partner
can do. An appropriate activity is
not too easy, but not too hard!
3. Distribute worksheets A-D and
Decide Questionnaire to each
student, allowing them to look
over and choose which activity on
the level they believe best suits
their ability while also following
the steps on the questionnaire.
Explain to students that as they
complete one activity, they will
raise their hand to get the answer
key. If problems were all correct,
students will continue to move up
the alphabet while also filling out
the questionnaire. If students get
to D, they will create their own
problems to solve with their own
answer key.
4. As students finish, have a
discussion about the essential
question, Why is it important for
mathematicians to have a step-bystep procedure to solve
problems?

5. As a ticket out the door, have

students complete the summary
sheet.
Extension:
Option 1: Students will create their own
worksheets for other students using
division word problems.
Option 2: Students will think of another
math rule that needs to be followed
when solving equations (PEMDAS,
adding/subtracting, multiplying, etc).
Students will create worksheets about
that rule to give to other students.
Differentiation:
High students: Students will create questions and key for Option Dgive to another
student to take and grade.
On-level students: Students will begin options A-C.
Low students: These students will begin option A.
ESOL students: These students will have the directions read to them and not have
to fill out the Decision Questionnaire.
EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT: Student synthesis activity/packet and lesson
reflection
Students will be assessed informally through observing students while completing
the worksheets. Students will be formally assessed based on the answers they
correct on each worksheet. The assessment will take place when students have
finished each worksheet. The answers will be checked over using an answer key.

Determine what you know about the skill to be practiced.

D
E
C
I
D
E

*What skills or knowledge do I need to solve multi-step math problems?

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Examine the levels of difficulty (worksheets A-D) and choose the level that is best for
you.
*What makes one level harder than the next one?
__________________________________________________________________________________
*What level do you think will work best for you? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Check your work. Change your level or create a new level if you complete Level 3 (C).
*What was easy about the level (letter) you chose?
____________________________________________________________________________________
*What was difficult about the level you chose?
____________________________________________________________________________________

Identify the criteria you used to make your choice.

*What criteria did you use to select the level you wanted to complete?
____________________________________________________________________________________
*If you are given another opportunity to choose the difficulty of your class work, will
you
change the criteria? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________________

Determine if you made a good choice and decide what you need to know/understand to
move to the next level.
*Was your choice a good one for you? Why or why not?
____________________________________________________________________________________
*What do you need to know/do to move to the next level?

____________________________________________________________________________________
Establish a goal for improvement.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Sum It Up!
Create a problem requiring you to use the rules of dividing into three and fourdigit numbers. Use zeroes or numbers requiring remainders if they are
something that you understand how to solve if used in division.

Work the problem using what you

learned today.

Work the problem as if you had never

heard of the rules for dividing into
three and four-digit numbers.

Why is it important for mathematicians to have a step-by-step procedure to solve

problems?

Name: __________________________________
Worksheet A
Dividing three and four-digit numbers
a. 621/3

b. 650/5

c. 220/2

d. 600/6

e. 105/7

f.

120/8

g. 240/6

h. 126/9

i.

540/3

Name: __________________________________
Worksheet B
Dividing three and four-digit numbers
a. 4500/9

b. 3120/12

c. 5460/7

d. 7120/8

e. 5766/6

f.

7896/8

g. 1953/3

h. 2000/5

i.

3692/4

Name: __________________________________
Worksheet C
Dividing three and four-digit numbers
a. 9,200/20

b. 2300/50

c. 7368/12

d. 2295/15

e. 1924/6

f.

8500/10

g. 14565/15

h. 2090/11

i.

4522/3

Name: __________________________________
Worksheet D
Create nine problems that are more difficult than the ones that you completed on
Worksheet C. Do not forget to make an answer key.
a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

h.

i.