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 post contains affiliate links, which simply means that when you use my link and purchase a product, I receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you, and I only link to books and products that I personally use and recommend.
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.
I definitely need to share this with my son’s 2nd grade teacher.
Thanks yet again!
You’re welcome!
This is fantastic! We are beginning the year in multiplication with arrays! This is awesome! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I thought the apples added a nice back-to-school touch. Ha ha.
Thanks! This is my first year as a Math Coach! I need all the help I can get. This is very helpful!
Congrats on your new position! You will love it. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! The third grade tecahers will love this!
Pretty simple idea, but really visual and powerful!
This 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!
What a wonderful comment! Thanks so much. 🙂
What a practical idea! I love blog yesterday about using multiplication with division. So smart!
Thank you!
Sara
Van de Walle has such amazing ideas! I love having time in the summer to revisit his book.
Great blog ! It will take me weeks to explore ! Thanks !
My pleasure! I really enjoyed visiting your blog and seeing this activity in French!
Great, thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Holly! Glad you find it useful. 🙂
Thanks, 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!
Myra
Hey, Myra! Click on the word “freebie” in the paragraph above the picture. It’s underlined now so it shows up better. 🙂
Donna,
I love this. What a great visual for multiplication. Will you please email me at [email protected]. Thanks,
Brandi
The Research Based Classroom
Thank you! You are my “go to” blog. I was just getting ready to head to my Van de Walle book and then saw this! Just what I was looking for!
Thanks so much for the sweet comment! I love connecting with educators!