Grade 4 Multiplication Strategies

Alberta Specific Learning Outcome:

5. Describe and apply mental mathematics strategies to determine basic multiplication facts up
to 9 x 9 and related division facts.
● Understand and apply strategies for multiplication and related division facts to 9 x 9.
● Recall multiplication and related division facts to 7 x 7.

Introduction to Multiplication Formative Assessment: How Many

Ways
● Give the students in your class about twenty minutes to show 3 x 4 in as many ways as
they can. Have them do it on blank paper or whiteboards.
● Have the students present their strategies either to you, to a partner, or to the class.
● Record the various strategies that you observe the students using and explaining. Look
for strategies such as repeated addition, number line, drawing groups, arrays, skip
counting, etc.

Multiplication - Introduction to Array Strategy

Learning Objective: Students will be able to use arrays as a strategy to multiple two single-digit
factors.

Explore
Iconic Representation
1. Put the students in random groups. Assign each student to a vertical non-permanent
learning surface with grid paper. Each group should only have one whiteboard marker.
2. Pose the question to the students “Find all the rectangles you can create using 24
squares.”
3. After the students have had some time to generate a variety of arrays, bring the students
together as a class. Discuss with the students:
● An array shows objects arranged in equal rows. You can use an array to
multiply. To find 4 x 6, make an array of 4 rows of 6. 4 rows of 6 counters 4 x 6 =
24. This is a multiplication fact.

● Ask the class: “How do you know that you have found all of the arrays?”
(Answer: Once you have found that the factors begin to repeat, then you have
 found all the factors.) https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/factors-all-tool.html
(How Can I Do It Myself section)

Symbolic Representation
4. Have the students return to their grid paper and write in the multiplication facts within
each array that they created.
5. Purposely use the words factors and product in your teaching.

Connect
1. Play the video for the students: https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/6841-represent-
multiplication-using-arrays
2. The students will have small whiteboards and whiteboard markers. While the students
watch the video, and particularly during the carrot plant array (1:10), have the students
visually represent the problem alongside the video.
3. At 1:56, pause the video and ask the students to orally explain the common
misunderstanding and why this is incorrect.
4. At 2:42, look for clarification within the repeated addition representation. Have the
students explain how 5 + 5 + 5 is the same as 3 x 5.
5. At 3:46, pause the video and draw attention to the representation 14=2x7. Discuss
balanced equations.
6. At 3:57, pause the video and have the students predict and justify the answer. Explain
why the others are wrong and what the thought process of the errors.
7. Assign the students to a vertical learning surface. Provide the class with the number
sentence 4x5. Ask the students to draw the array that represents the number sentence.
Then have them generate a word problem that represents their array.
8. Formative assessment of vocabulary: do they understand rows, columns, factors,
products.

Practice
1. In order to practice this strategy, have the students go in groups of two. Provide each
group with a piece of grid paper and a 30 sided dice. Each player chooses a colour
pencil they will use in the game. Students take turns rolling the dice. The number
represents the product. Using this number, the students will draw an array that produces
the product that they rolled and write the equation in the middle of the array. The game
ends when the players run out of room to draw. The winner is the player who has used
the most squares.
Assessment
1. Exit slip: Draw all of the arrays for the product 18, 36, and/or 72 (differentiate based on
student understanding). Explain how you used this strategy. Teacher assessment:
vocabulary of rows, columns, factors, and products.

Multiplication - Introduction to Number Line Strategy

Learning Objective: Students will be able to use number lines as a strategy to multiply two
single-digit factors.

Explore
1. Place a number line on the floor with numbers 0 to 20. The teacher may use paper
plates with numbers written on them, or tape a number line to the ground. Numbers must
be spaced evenly apart such that students can comfortably enact hopping to the
distance. To begin the lesson, assess prior knowledge by asking a volunteer to name a
number between 2 and 4. Then, starting at 0, have the volunteer hop across the number
line as the rest of the class skip counts by that number. Repeat as necessary.
2. Explain, “Today we are going to learn how to use a number line to multiply two numbers
and find a product.”
3. Write a multiplication problem on the board, like 6 x 3. Draw an arrow to each number
and label them factor. Explain, “The numbers that we multiply are called factors.”
4. Tell students, “To solve this, we need to make six groups of three.”
Enactive Representation
5. The teacher will demonstrate jumping from 0 to 3 on the number line and explain “this is
one group of three. I need to make 6 jumps of 3 to find the product of 6 x 3.”
6. The teacher will do five more jumps and land on the number 18. Explain, “this is the
product, or the answer to the multiplication problem six times three.”
7. Write another problem on the board, like 4 x 2. Before solving, have students talk with a
partner to determine the number of jumps and the distance of each jump. Invite a
student to come up to the number line on the floor and demonstrate four hops of two.
Repeat this process a few times with student volunteers and different number
sentences.
Iconic Representation
8. As the students gain comfortability enacting the hops on the number line, move on to
representing the hops using arrows. Write a multiplication problem on the board, like 4 x
5. Tell the students, “To solve this, we need to make four groups of five.” Draw a blank
number line that goes from 0 to 20. Draw a “jump” or arrow from 0 to 5 and explain, “this
is one groups of five. I need to make 4 jumps of 5 to find the product of 4 x 5.” The
teacher will draw three more jumps and land on the number 20.
9. Using vertical non-permanent learning surfaces, pose another problem on the board, like
2x7. In groups, have the students draw a number line and work together to solve it.

Connect
 1. Play the video for the students: https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/7932-interpret-
products-using-a-number-line
2. At 1:58, discuss the common misunderstanding that 4 x 7 only means four hops of
seven. Encourage the students to predict that 4 x 7 could also mean seven hops of four.
3. The students will have small whiteboards and whiteboard markers. While the students
watch the video, and particularly during the canoe problem (2:35), have the students
visually represent the problem alongside the video using an open number line.
4. Class discussion: How can a number line help us understand multiplication? How is
using a number line similar to repeated addition?

Practice
1. Option #1 (Game): In order to practice this strategy, have the students go in groups of
two. Provide each group with two whiteboards and whiteboard markers as well as a deck
of cards. Each player flips over two cards. These two numbers represent the two factors
in their equation. Using the whiteboards, students draw a number line to figure out the
product. The student with the higher product gets to keep their own two cards plus their
partner’s two cards. The game ends when one of the players run out of cards. The
winner is the player with all of the cards at the end of the game.
2. Option #2 (Task Cards): Print off the Number Line Multiplication Task Cards. Place them
around the classroom. Have the students engage in an “Around the World” type of
activity, where they bring their recording sheet to each task card, record their answer.
Check the answers as a class.
a. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Number-Line-Multiplication-Task-
Cards-2197033
b. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Solving-Multiplication-Facts-on-a-
Number-Line-32-Task-Cards-998662
3. Option #3 (Worksheet): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Number-lines-
Multiplication-2839980

Assessment
1. Hand out a half-length strip of paper to each student.
2. Assign the students a multiplication problem, such as 8 x 4. Write the assigned problem
on the board for student reference.
3. Instruct students to draw a number line for their assigned problem on their strip of paper
using pencil. Then have them trace over with marker when they are finished.
4. Collect and check for understanding.

Differentiation
Support:
● Provide a partially completed number line and have students complete the remaining
jumps.
Enrichment:
● Have students make two different number lines that show the same multiplication
problem (i.e. 7x8 and 8x7; commutative property of multiplication)
Notes/Thoughts
● Focus on the strategy of multiplication, then differentiate the factors based on the
grade/student need.
● Consider doing some “pre-teaching” before using vertical non-permanent learning
surfaces to introduce multiplication strategies. Set up your rules for the vertical non-
permanent learning surfaces, and perhaps have the students practice this first using
familiar concepts (i.e. solving an addition or subtraction problem).
● We did not create a lesson plan for repeated addition, as it was indicated that this was
the main strategy already used. Classroom teachers should continue to use repeated
addition.
● Other multiplication strategies include: skip counting, making equal groups, and
doubling. If you would like assistance in creating further lesson plans for these
strategies, please let us know!
● Consider making an anchor chart each time you introduce a new strategy. Here are
some “Pinterest-y” ideas.

● Four door foldable freebie: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-

Multiplication-and-Division-Unit-Sampler-for-Math-Workshop-2213863
● Interactive journal idea:
 ● Idea for potential summative assessment of multiplication strategies - Frayer Model

Grouping vs. sharing

Quotative vs. Partitioning

Division to begin March 12

-Write up lesson plans similar to multiplication for division regarding quotative and partitioning
thinking
-Share with Cindy and Katreena (and Sandy) by March 12th

-Holli to go into Cindy’s class March 12th to introduce first division lesson 9:30-10:30 AM