The bus stop method is an appropriate method for teaching division to year 4 students. It provides a visual representation of the division process and allows students to understand the concept of remainders.
When teaching this method to year 4 students, it’s important to emphasize the following points:
- The dividend is the number being divided, the divisor is the number by which we are dividing, and the quotient is the result of the division.
- The bus stop represents the dividend, the bus represents the divisor, and the passengers represent the quotient.
- We begin by dividing the tens place of the dividend by the divisor, writing the quotient above the line, and bringing down the ones place to make a new 2-digit number.
- Then we divide the new 2-digit number by the divisor, writing the quotient above the line, and bringing down any remaining digits.
- The final quotient is the sum of all the quotients written above the line.
- The remainder is the number left over after dividing the dividend by the divisor.
It’s also important to give the students plenty of practice using this method and to check their work using other methods.
