Hello there! I’m Michael, and I’m here to help you learn multiplication and division in a fun and easy way. Let’s dive into some cool strategies that you can use at school or at home to become a math superstar!
Some kids are super excited to learn multiplication because it feels like a big step in math. Others might feel a bit nervous, but don’t worry! We’re going to make it fun and simple.
First, let’s try solving a problem on our own. How about 4 times 3? Give it a try and see what you come up with. You might surprise yourself with a creative way to find the answer!
One great way to understand multiplication is by using something called an array. An array shows multiplication as groups and rows. Let’s use M&Ms to make it fun!
For 4 times 3, you can make an array with four rows, each having three M&Ms. As you add M&Ms, think of multiplication as adding the same number over and over. You can add three plus three for the first two rows or multiply two times three to get the same result.
To find the total number of M&Ms, you can count them or use skip counting, which is faster. Write down the problem and solution in your notebook to remember it better.
Once you get the hang of arrays, try skip counting. It’s a quick way to solve multiplication problems. I have some fun songs to help you remember. Here’s a song for the threes: “Three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen, eighteen, twenty-one, twenty-four, twenty-seven, thirty.” Sing it loud and use your fingers to help!
For our example of 4 times 3, you can use the song for fours or threes. Remember, you can switch the numbers around and still get the same answer because of the commutative property of multiplication.
After mastering multiplication, let’s move on to division. Start with simple scenarios using M&Ms. Imagine three friends sharing 12 M&Ms equally. How would they do it? This is a division problem!
If you divide 12 M&Ms among three friends, each gets four M&Ms. Try this with different numbers to see how it works.
Just like with multiplication, you can use skip counting for division. For example, with 12 divided by 3, skip count from 3 to 12: 3, 6, 9, 12. It takes four counts to reach 12, so 12 divided by 3 equals 4.
I hope you enjoyed these fun ways to learn multiplication and division. Remember, math should be fun, not stressful. Sing your songs loudly and use your fingers to count. Skip counting is a great way to master these skills.
If you want to learn more about math, check out our other videos. Thanks for joining, and see you next time!
Array Art: Create your own array art using small objects like buttons, coins, or even pieces of cereal. Arrange them in rows and columns to represent different multiplication problems. For example, make an array for 5 times 2 by placing 5 rows with 2 objects in each row. Count the total number of objects to find the answer. Try making arrays for different multiplication problems and draw them in your notebook. Can you find a pattern in the arrays you create?
Skip Counting Hopscotch: Draw a hopscotch grid outside with chalk or make one indoors with tape. Write numbers in each square that represent skip counting by a number, like 3, 6, 9, 12, and so on. As you hop through the grid, say the numbers out loud. Try different skip counting sequences, like by 2s, 5s, or 10s. How fast can you go while still saying the numbers correctly? Can you create your own skip counting song to help remember the sequence?
Sharing Scenarios: Use small snacks like grapes or crackers to practice division. Pretend you are sharing them with friends. For example, if you have 15 grapes and 3 friends, how many grapes does each friend get? Write down the division problem and solve it by sharing the grapes equally. Try different numbers and see how the amount each friend gets changes. What happens if you have more friends or fewer snacks?
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Welcome to Kids Academy! Hello, this is Michael, an elementary school teacher with Kids Academy. Today, I’d like to talk to you about some strategies for learning multiplication that you can use both in the classroom and at home.
Some kids are really excited about learning multiplication; they may have an older sibling who has been successful with it, or they are just eager to learn the next big thing in mathematics. Other students, however, may have developed a fear of math and may not enjoy learning new concepts, knowing it might be a struggle.
Today’s strategies are designed to make learning multiplication fun and easy. They are also simple to implement and don’t require much, if any, cost.
Before we get started with these fun strategies, make sure to give your students an opportunity to try solving problems on their own in what we call a flipped classroom. Present an easy problem, such as 4 times 3, and see if they can solve it independently. You might be surprised by the creative strategies they come up with!
After that, start reviewing the concept of multiplication. A great way to do this is by using an array. An array demonstrates that multiplication is not only repeated addition but also consists of equal groups and rows.
Let’s consider the problem we just introduced: 4 times 3. You can use fun manipulatives, like M&Ms, to help solve this problem. We will build an array with four rows, each containing three M&Ms. As you add M&Ms to each row, explain to students that multiplication is similar to repeated addition. For instance, you can add three plus three to find the total for the first two rows, or multiply two times three for the same result.
To find the total number of M&Ms, you can count them or skip count, which is often faster. Make sure students write down the problem and solution in their notebooks to aid memorization and recall later.
Once students have mastered multiplication using arrays and manipulatives, they can practice skip counting. Skip counting is an easy and quick way to answer multiplication questions. I have some multiplication songs that are fun and easy to do both at home and in the classroom.
For example, here’s a multiplication song for the threes: “Three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen, eighteen, twenty-one, twenty-four, twenty-seven, thirty.” The key is to sing loudly and proudly while using your fingers to help with multiplication.
Now, regarding our example of 4 times 3, you can use the song for fours or threes to count. Students should understand that they can use the commutative property of multiplication to get the same product.
Once students have mastered their skip counting songs, they can begin to apply these multiplication facts to word problems. After they have become familiar with key terms in multiplication word problems, we can introduce division.
To learn about division, start with simple scenarios and use edible manipulatives again. Present a fun scenario where three students share M&Ms equally. Ask them how they would share the M&Ms and what division problem represents this scenario.
For example, if they start with 12 M&Ms and divide them among three students, each student receives four M&Ms. You can repeat this with different numbers of M&Ms or groups, ensuring that students enjoy the process.
Once students have mastered division using sharing scenarios and manipulatives, they can use skip counting to solve division problems. You can use the same skip counting songs from the multiplication section.
For instance, with the example of 12 divided by 3, you can skip count from 3 to 12. The number of times it takes to reach 12 is the answer: 3, 6, 9, 12, which shows that 12 divided by 3 equals 4.
I hope you enjoyed these fun and engaging multiplication and division strategies. Learning multiplication and division should be enjoyable, not stressful. Remember to sing loudly and count using your fingers—skip counting is key to mastering these concepts.
If you want to learn more about multiplication, division, or other great math strategies, check out our other videos. Thank you for watching, and we’ll see you next time!
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