Can a third grader multiply 74 x 85? If I hadn't seen it
with my own eyes, I would say no. But the truth is, kids that have their
multiplication facts memorized can multiply two, 2-digit numbers with relative
ease.
Here's how.
This is where that place value practice really comes in
handy. By breaking the numbers down into their tens and ones and multiplying a
series of simpler problems that are then added together to get the answer, what
seems nearly impossible is … well … possible.
The computation strategy cards I designed are color
coded to help children know where to write each of the numbers and what to
multiply and add. Download them free here.
I gave my son an example and he was off and running. I
laminated several of the blank cards and added problems at the top in dry-erase
marker.
I started with relatively low numbers (e.g. 11 x 20) but
after a few of the problems were complete, my son's math ego grew significantly
and he was egging me on to make the problems harder.
He checked the answers with a calculator.
He checked the answers with a calculator.
To keep track of his success, we used a football
scorecard. To make your own, simple print, cut the track out (with a craft knife), along with the
football and square. Punch a hole in the latter two, thread a brad through the
football, in the track, and attach the square, separating the prongs on the
brad to secure it.
As a child answers a problem successfully, the ball is
moved from one line to the next.
When my son needed to organize the numbers vertically to add them, he flipped over the laminated scorecard to use as "scratch paper."
When my son needed to organize the numbers vertically to add them, he flipped over the laminated scorecard to use as "scratch paper."
Wow.. this is the very easy method to do multiplication. I also enjoyed this method. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteLove the strategy cards. Hope you hop over to Math Monday and post it in a few weeks during the Multiplication hop!
ReplyDeleteLove it. I have to try it with my second grader who enjoys math.
ReplyDeleteWowza! My kids aren't ready for this, but I'll save it for the day when they're ready to impress their dad :) Love how it shows how to break down numbers. Great number sense activity too!
ReplyDeleteI love this for learning multiplication with speed Thanks
ReplyDelete