Moving along with multiplication

Last week the kids had a chance to move around to different stations to identify the number of groups at a station, the number of things in each group, and to write the corresponding multiplication sentences that the groups of things represented.  There were groups of tangrams, groups of Hex-a-link cubes, groups of scribblers (packages), groups of coloured rods, groups of little heart erasers, and even groups of Halloween eyeballs.  I was really pleased with how well students embraced the activity and how well they did with it.

The class was also introduced to the 4x table.  We reviewed the 2x and wrote out the 4x products beside the 2s.  Students were able to see that the 4x are the doubles of the 2x.  Since the 2x are the same as the addition doubles that students are already familiar with, the 4x can be thought of as "double doubles"!

We also went over some terminology, specifically the names of the parts of a multiplication sentence (see photo below)

We will carry on with multiplication this week, hopefully looking at the 3x and 6x tables (the 6x are the doubles of the 3x!), and looking at word problems that involve multiplication.

Please check your child's backpack for a homework sheet.  One will go home tomorrow and will be due back on Thursday.

Thanks, and I hope to see as many of you as possible during parent-teacher interviews this week, though we may need to touch base in the library as I will likely be on duty at the Book Fair.