For multiplication facts to make sense to children, they have to have lots of concrete and representational experiences with the idea of multiplication prior to trying to achieve automaticity with the facts. Students need to move from addition to multiplicative thinking to understand the difference between 4 + 3 and 4 x 3. This little activity is another one from Van de Walle. Students use a 10-by-10 array and an L-shaped overlay to help them visualize the meaning of multiplication. There are two ways to use the board:
- Call out a fact, for example 4 x 4, and have students use the overlay to show the fact and determine the product.
- Give the students a product and have them use the overlay to show you how it could be made. For example, if you ask students to show you 16 apples, they might use the overlay to show 4 x 4, 2 x 8, or 8 x 2.
The freebie includes a B & W version, a color one, and a template for the overlay.
This is fantastic! We are beginning the year in multiplication with arrays! This is awesome! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I thought the apples added a nice back-to-school touch. Ha ha.
DeleteThanks! This is my first year as a Math Coach! I need all the help I can get. This is very helpful!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new position! You will love it. :)
DeleteI definitely need to share this with my son's 2nd grade teacher.
ReplyDeleteThanks yet again!
You're welcome!
DeleteThanks for sharing! The third grade tecahers will love this!
ReplyDeletePretty simple idea, but really visual and powerful!
DeleteThis is absolutely perfect for my son and I will be using this tomorrow morning during our math lessons. As someone who is not fond of math your site always gives me that "spark" to add some fun into our lessons. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful comment! Thanks so much. :)
DeleteWhat a practical idea! I love blog yesterday about using multiplication with division. So smart!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Sara
Van de Walle has such amazing ideas! I love having time in the summer to revisit his book.
DeleteGreat blog ! It will take me weeks to explore ! Thanks !
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! I really enjoyed visiting your blog and seeing this activity in French!
DeleteGreat, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Holly! Glad you find it useful. :)
DeleteThanks, Donna. I teach third grade and am looking for a bit more for my array arsenol (LOL). How to download this though? Can't find it as a freebie on your TPT site. Did I miss it? Thank you for sharing. LOVE Math Coaches. We lost ours a few years ago (budget cuts! Ugh) Sure miss the collaboration!
DeleteMyra
Hey, Myra! Click on the word "freebie" in the paragraph above the picture. It's underlined now so it shows up better. :)
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