Sample Lesson # 3

Grade: 4
Topic: Divisibility rules for 3 and 4
Specific Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Test for divisibility by 3

Make general statements about numbers that are divisible by 3.

Content Outline:

A divisibility rule tells us whether one number can be divided by another without leaving a
remainder.

The digits of a number that is a multiple of 3 can be summed to give a multiple of 3. For
example, 345 is a multiple of 3 because 3 + 4 + 5 = 12.

Pre-requisite Knowledge: Student should already be familiar with:

basic multiplication facts up to 10 10

multiples and factors

Materials:
Hundred charts
Engage

Play Atoms to introduce students to grouping and remainders:

o Allow students to stand at random points in the classroom.
o Call out atoms of ___ with a number (such as atoms of 4!); students quickly try to
form groups of this size.
o Students unable to get into a group (those not enough to create another whole group of
the atoms number) are out.
o The game continues like this with various atom numbers being called until only 2
students remain.

Remind students about equal groupings and remainders by discussing the game. Ask
questions such as:
o Why were some persons unable to form groups in each round?

o How many more students would be needed to form a group if we were playing atoms of
6 and a group only had 4 persons?
o If there are 24 students playing atoms of 5 how many students would be out?
o What atoms numbers could 24 students play so that 3 of them are out?
o What atoms numbers could 24 students play so that no one is out?
Explore

Place students in groups of 3 to 4. Give each group a hundred chart on which some multiples
of 3 have been shaded (see below).

Tell students that the shaded numbers are all multiples of 3; allow each group to look for
patterns or designs from the numbers already shaded and to use these patterns or designs to
determine all other multiples of 3 on the hundred chart.

Allow students to discuss visual and numerical patterns/designs that each group observed.
Verify students solutions by asking questions such as:
o What numbers in the last 2 rows are multiples of 3?
o How many multiples of 3 start with the digit 7?
Use hundred charts with no numbers (see below) to engage class in oral discussion around
question/prompts such as:
o If this cell (point to a cell that has been shaded) is a multiple of 3,
what other numbers in row 6 would also be shaded? How do you know?
what about rows 5 and 7 what numbers would be shaded? How do you know?
what cells in column F Would be shaded?
would the cell with the question mark be?

Explain

Allow students to present their findings. Discuss question such as:

o What patterns did you observe?
o How did you go about identifying your pattern

Draw students attention to the structure of numbers that are divisible by 3 by asking them to
o choose from their shaded hundred charts 6 or 7 double digit multiples of 3
o add the digits of these numbers and note and what they have observed.

Discuss students observations. Allow students to test their observations/hypotheses by

identifying which of the following numbers are multiples of 3.
o 591

o 702

o 987

o 831

Extend
Students use a calculator to identify multiples of 6 from among their multiples of 3. Students
make and share a video presentation outlining how they can identify numbers that are multiples
of 3 and numbers that are multiples of 6.
Evaluation

A digit is missing from each number below. Determine what digit can be placed in the box so
that the number is divisible by 3. In each case, is there only 1 solution?

3
6

9
5

8
4

4
2

7
3

1
2

5
0

2
5

3
6

Write a letter to your friend telling her how you can tell when a number is a multiple of 3.

Evaluation (Teacher):
Were students able to:
0% 50%

51% 80%

81% 100%

Identify numbers that are divisible by 3

Make generalized statement about
numbers that are divisible by 3.
Comments:
Areas of strengths:
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Areas of weaknesses
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Actions to be taken
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