One method involves dividing a group of objects. For example, a teacher gives each third-grader 100 buttons then asks each to divide the buttons into 20 equal piles. The teacher's following instructions are to decrease the number of piles to 10, five, four and two. This exercise helps the students understand the principle behind division. Any other object, such as pencils, pins or nuts, can be used in place of buttons.
Counting money is an effective way for third-graders to practice math, and teachers can use a number of money situations related to division. For example, a teacher can use an exercise in which an employer has $10,000 and needs to pay four employees. She asks students how much money each employee would receive. Another division problem with money involves calculating change. For instance, the teacher asks students to calculate how many quarters a cashier needs to give to a customer as change for a $5 bill.
Math stories are another way to teach third-graders about division. A teach may ask his students to write a math story that contains at least three paragraphs and has division as its foundation. For example, the story can be about a dad dividing a pie among his three daughters. The burst of creativity that is required to generate the story will help children internalize the concept of division.
Numerous games use division, and they can be included in a third-grade math lesson. Some card games are among the games that involve division. For instance, many card games begin with each player receiving a certain number of cards from a 52-card deck. Many online games also require students to solve division problems.