Jessica Henry

Christen Showker at Peak View Elementary

10/30, 11/1, & 11/2 from 9-10:30
10/24/17
LESSON PLAN OUTLINE
JMU Elementary Education Program

A. TITLE/TYPE OF LESSON: Multiplication with Manipulatives

B. CONTEXT OF LESSON
A pre-assessment was given to the students prior to teaching this lesson. In the pre-assessment
students were asked to solve 2 x 1, 3 x 1, 2 x 2, and 3 x 2 multiplication problems. In the third grade,
students learned single digit multiplication, but most students have never worked with multi-digit
multiplication and the pre-assessment was reflective of that as expected. However, a review session of
single digit multiplication was conducted and the students were able to recall what they had previously
learned about multiplication in third grade, which shows me they are ready to start working with
multi-digit numbers. The following activities will help students use what they know about
multiplication and apply it in a new context as they work with bigger numbers. The idea of this lesson
is for students to work with manipulatives to give them a concrete representation of what they will be
learning. This lesson is intended to be used as research for an inquiry project on manipulative use and
its effectiveness in the classroom. Therefore, I will be teaching lessons using manipulatives (concrete
thinking) with one half of the class and my teacher will be teaching the traditional procedural method
of multiplication (abstract thinking) with the other half of the class and then the groups will switch.
The following lesson plan outlines my plans for manipulative instruction.

C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand – what are the broad
generalizations the students should specific data the students will gain
begin to develop? (These are
typically difficult to assess in one must be assessed in your lesson.)
lesson.)
The students will understand
that…
• Multiplication can be
solved in many different
ways.
• In multiplication, one
factor tells us how many
groups we have or how
many times we need to
skip a certain amount on a
number line. The other
factor tells us how many
are in each group or the
amount that we are
skipping to on the number
line.
• In multiplication, groups
are repeated a certain
number of times.
Know – what are the facts, rules,
through this lesson? (These “knows”
The students will know… The students will be able to…
• that to find the product of a
multiplication problem you
multiply by places values,
starting with the ones, then
the tens, then the hundreds
• how to solve a
multiplication problem
using manipulatives
• how to solve a
multiplication problem
using grouping and a
number line
Do – what are the specific thinking
behaviors students will be able to do
through this lesson? (These will also
be assessed in your lesson.)
• Solve 2 x 1 and 3 x 1
multiplication problems
• Create models of
multiplication problems
• Explain how they solved
the multiplication
problems
Jessica Henry
Christen Showker at Peak View Elementary
10/30, 11/1, & 11/2 from 9-10:30
10/24/17
D. ASSESSING LEARNING
To assess learning, students will be completing exit tickets each day after receiving both the concrete,
manipulative lesson from myself and the abstract, procedural lesson from my cooperating teacher. The
exit tickets will not only ask students to solve the problems at hand, but also ask them to further break
down their thinking by drawing pictures and identify grouping. I will be looking for students who can
visualize their problem and explain how to complete the problem more than just going through the
motions of the procedural steps. This shows me that they truly understand the why behind the
procedure. Also, on the last day of my three lessons, students will be asked to create a multiplication
problem and then create a multiplication keychain where they will be using beads to represent their
numbers and then creating groups to represent the multiplication problem. They will also be asked to
answer questions about their problem and keychain, which will show me if they are truly
understanding multiplication.

E. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (and NATIONAL STANDARDS if required)

4.4 The student will

a) estimate sums, differences, products, and quotients of whole numbers;
b) add, subtract, and multiply whole numbers;
c) divide whole numbers, finding quotients with and without remainders; and
d) solve single-step and multi-step addition, subtraction, and multiplication problems with
whole numbers.

F. MATERIALS NEEDED
Day One: 2 x 1
• Problem sheet (teacher)
• Yarn (teacher)
• Base ten blocks (teacher)
• Bulletin board paper (teacher)
• Marker (teacher)
• Pumpkin problem sheet (teacher)
• Pumpkin candies (teacher)
• Napkins (teacher)
• Pencil (student)
• Exit slip (teacher)
Day Two: 3 x 1
• Word problem sheet (sheet)
• Yarn (teacher)
• Base ten blocks (teacher)
• Pencil (student)
• Exit slip (teacher)
• Keychain string (Teacher)
• Beads (teacher)
• Keychain problem sheet (teacher)

G. PROCEDURE

Day One: 2 x 1
• Set out yarn and base ten blocks in classroom so that students have space to represent the
problem.
• Prepare 6 bowls of pumpkin candies ahead of time and place them in the front of the room.
Jessica Henry
Christen Showker at Peak View Elementary
10/30, 11/1, & 11/2 from 9-10:30
10/24/17
• With students in line in hallway, ask the students to come to you as you call their partner
names, grab the problem paper and find a seat with your partner in the lab at a spot with yarn
and base ten blocks. Advise them not to look at the sheet yet or touch the manipulatives yet.
• Once all pairs are in the classroom, tell them they have one minute to explore and play with
the manipulatives. When the minute is up, yell macaroni and cheese and the class will respond
with everybody freeze and manipulative play will stop.
• Review use of ten blocks
- Ask students “Do you remember when we used these to represent decimals
and these were parts of a whole?” Hold up the one and ask them to tell you
what it represented, hold up the ten and ask them to tell you what it
represented.
- Tell the students to put that in their brain’s storage unit for now.
- Ask the students if they remember what each base ten block represented when
they were using them as whole numbers. Hold up the ten and one and make
sure they understand that the ten stick represents ten, and the one block
represents one. “Does this make sense?” *Write this up on the board as a
key for later use* Ask them to create a number with the base ten blocks to
make sure they understand.
• “Do not flip over your paper just yet, but now we are going to solve #1 that is on your sheet in
front of you. After I read the question to you, I am going to give you all some time to think
about this problem in your head and think about how you might solve it. Everybody flip your
paper over and let’s read this problem” Read the problem. Give the students some time to
think about how you might solve the problem and ask them to give you a thumbs up when
they are ready.
• Tell the students that they will now work in partners to solve the problem using the materials
they have in front of them. Allow students time to solve the problem and assist as needed. Ask
questions about how many groups they should have, how many are in each group, how did
they solve the problem, etc.
• Once each partner pair has solved the problem, tell them that it is there turn to be the teacher
and show you how to solve the problem. Have students walk you through the problem and
how they created their groups and came up with their final answer. After doing so, draw the
representation on the board and show any regrouping that took place to get the final answer.
• Ask students if anyone else solved it differently. Ask them to do the same as the person
before.
• After letting students share, talk about what they see in each group. Ask them to tell you how
many tens are in each group (1), how many ones are in each group (4). Ask them to tell you
the value of one ten and 4 ones. “So there is a ten in each group, so that means 10 repeats 6
times, how could we write this?” Wait for student response, guide them to 10 x 6. “What is 10
x 6?” Write all of this on the white board. Do the same with the 4 ones in each group, 4 x 6.
• “So when we think about the problem as a whole, we get 84. How?”
• Clarify that to get 14 x 6, we had to multiply 6 times 4 and 6 times 10.

14
X6
6 x 4 =24
6 x 10 =60
Jessica Henry
Christen Showker at Peak View Elementary
10/30, 11/1, & 11/2 from 9-10:30
10/24/17

• Now we are going to look at this problem in a different way, so what I need you all to do is
one partner from each group, grab the base ten blocks from one of the groups and place them
on the paper like this

The sets of 14 need to connect. There should be 6 sets in total.

“See how we have 14 repeating over and over again? Let’s draw lines between them so we can
see the different sets of 14.” Discuss how you started with nothing all the way on the end and
then had 14, then 28, and so on. In between the lines, discuss how you can see the groups or sets
of 14.

1 2 3 4 5 6

0 14 28 42 56 70 84

“What did we just create?” Guide them to number line. “So, remember when we were
reviewing and you all said number lines confused you. Does this make more sense? We are
taking leaps of 14, 6 times.
• Try another one (#2). “This time we are going to use something different, so go ahead and
push your base ten blocks aside.” Pass out bowls of pumpkin candies. Warn them not to eat
any ahead of time. Have students individually solve the problem with their pumpkin candies,
but tell them to try to solve/represent the problem in a way that we have not already done
(should lend itself to an array model). After they have done this individually they will discuss
it with their partners and then we will discuss it as a whole class. Ask them how this
representation relates to the ten sticks. Can line ten sticks up parallel to pumpkins to show the
connection.
• “Now each of you are going to do one on your own.” Each person will get one pumpkin
problem (cut out). Solve it using their pumpkins in whichever method they prefer. Complete
the questions on their problem page and then ask you to check their work. When they have
completed their work they will get a treat bag with some candies in it.
• If they finish early, ask them to come up with their own multiplication problem and quiz their
partner to see if they can create the representation and solve it. You can also have them
challenge each other by showing their partner the representation and then asking them to tell
you what the problem is.
• Switch to other group.
• Repeat lesson with new group.
• Once completed with both groups, meet back in the classroom and give all students exit slips.
Assist as needed.
Day Two: 3 x 1
• Repeat the same setup steps from day one (minus the pumpkin candies), except set the groups of
materials up so that all the groups will make a large circle.
• Ahead of time prep 4 bowls of blue beads, 4 bowls of white beads, and 4 bowls of gray beads.
Prep string with large knot at one end and large enough that students will have plenty of space to
Jessica Henry
Christen Showker at Peak View Elementary
10/30, 11/1, & 11/2 from 9-10:30
10/24/17
place their beads. Have these items sitting at a table in the front somewhere along with the
different problem sheets.
• Review the place values of the base ten blocks, now including the hundreds. Ask them to make a
number to make sure they understand their place values
• Think, pair, share problem #1 as the same in day one.
• Show that there is 100 in each group, 20 in each group, and 7 in each group in the same manner as
done in day one. Explain that they broke 127 down into its parts and then multiplied each by 4,
just like in the multiplication steps for the procedure, which they will learn more about from Ms.
Showker in their lesson today.
• Try number 2. Think, pair, share
• “Now you are going to come up with your own multiplication problem. It has to be a 3 digit
number multiplied by a one digit number and it can’t be any larger than 250. Write the problem on
a piece of paper and place it with your materials. Now I am going to play music, when the music
starts you will begin to walk around the circle (emphasize walking). When the music stops, you
will solve the new problem that is now in front of you using the base ten blocks.” Let students
solve problem. “Now that we have all solved our problem we are going to do this one more time. I
will play the music again. You will start walking around the circle again, until you hear the music
stop. When the music stops, stop where you are and whatever problem you are in front of you are
going to check their work, then we will talk about some of these problems” Let them rotate again
and check work. Talk about a couple of problems. And then have them return to original spots
• Tell them they will be making Peak View Multiplication Keychains.
• “We are going to use blue, gray, and white beads and this string to create our keychains. Each of
your keychains are going to look different because each of you are going to come up with your
own problem. The rules for creating your problem is that it has to be a three digit number
multiplied by a one digit number. The 3 digit number cannot have a number large than 5 in it and
the single digit number you are multiplying by must not be any larger than 5.:
• “For this project, gray beads are going to represent hundreds.” Create a key on the board with one
gray bead with hundred written next to it and a hundreds block as well. “White beads will
represent tens.” Develop the key on the board. “Blue beads are going to represent ones.” Again,
develop the key on the board. Let the students know that they also have this key on the back of the
paper you will be giving them. Model creating a 3 digit number to make sure they understand the
place value of each bead.
• “Once you have your problem, you will need to determine how you are going to solve the
problem. I suggest using your yarn to group them or make an array before putting them on your
keychain string. Once you have made your groups then you will place each group on your string
one after the other. Kind of like how we did with the number line where we connected all of our
groups.” Model this.
• Explain that once they complete their keychain, they need to complete all the questions on their
problem sheet. Once they do that, they can bring it to you and you will hold onto it and return
them tomorrow with the key clasps tied on.
• Switch groups
• Repeat lesson with other group
• Return to classroom and give students their exit slip for the day. Assist as needed.

H. DIFFERENTIATION
In my lesson, I attempted to incorporate many different instructional strategies to best fit the needs of
all students. The students are able to think individually, with a partner, as well as with the rest of class,
which helps give each student the opportunity to work in an environment that they feel is best suited
for them. Also, within my lessons I tried to incorporate creativity and movement. With regards to
movement, students will be able to move around, which will help those that have trouble focusing and
Jessica Henry
Christen Showker at Peak View Elementary
10/30, 11/1, & 11/2 from 9-10:30
10/24/17
get anxious after long periods of sitting down. Creativity is integrated in allowing the students to
problem solve, come up with their own problems, and create something. This will help keep all
students of all different learning styles engaged. I feel as though the lesson has a good balance of
challenge for those who are more advanced and need the extra difficulty to stay engaged and support
to help those students who may struggle in mathematics. For students that finish early, I will ask them
to try more problems and even create their own problems and quiz a partner if possible.

I. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
One this that I worry about is partners over powering each other. This could cause issues because I
want each student to be able to really work through the problem and share their thinking. However, the
careful partnering of students will help avoid some of these issues by correctly pairing those who work
well together. Multi-digit multiplication is a very difficult topic and I am worried that they will not
make the connection between the procedure and the actual understanding of multiplication. To avoid
this, it will be highly important to perform simple checks for understanding throughout the lesson to
make sure no students are getting left behind.