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Cindy Heinz

Diana Adams

Topic: Dividing by making equal shares.

Grade Level: 1st through 3rd grade.

Name of Activity: The Doorbell Rang

Materials Needed: 12 cookies per group (preferably wrapped)

12 paper plates per group recording worksheet - cut the four problems apart(attached) optional: The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins, Greenwillow, 1986.

Description of Activity: Group the children by fours. Read the book The Doorbell Rings or tell the story ("Just when Sam and Victoria had determined their equal shares of Ma's freshly baked cookies, the doorbell rings. Ma invited two friends to share the cookies. 'That's three each,' figures Sam and Victoria. Then the doorbell rings again. As the scenario continues, the children recalculate the number of cookies the guests will receive as each new guest arrives, so the cookies are always shared equally"). (1)

After reading the story pass out 12 cookies and two paper plates to each group. Give each group the upper left hand corner of the worksheet. Ask them to solve the problem: If there are two children, how would they share the cookies equally? After the groups have finished dividing the cookies on the plates, ask them to record their answer on the recording sheet and then what answers they found and to justify them.

Then pass out two more paper plates to each group and the corresponding recording sheet. Repeat the above procedure. Then repeat the above procedure after passing out two more paper plates (so each group has a total of six and then a total of 12 paper plates.)

After all four problems have been solved and discussed, ask the children to divide the cookies (if they are wrapped) equally among their group and they may eat them.

(1) Source: Literature - Based Math Activities - An Integrated Approach, by Alison Abrohms, Scholastic, 1992.