Exploring Multiples

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Lesson Title: Introduction to Multiples

Unit: Mastering Multiples & Factors
Lesson: 1 of 5
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 16 students

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✏️ Curriculum Links

Australian Curriculum – Mathematics (v9.0)
Year 5 & 6 Content Strands: Number and Algebra

• Year 5:
  AC9M5N01 — Identify and describe factors and multiples of whole numbers and use them to solve problems.

• Year 6:
  AC9M6N01 — Recognise and use factors, multiples and divisibility rules to identify and describe relationships between numbers; solve problems using efficient strategies.

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🎯 WALT (We Are Learning To)

• WALT identify and describe multiples of a number.
• WALT explore the relationship between multiplication and multiples.
• WALT recognise patterns within groups of multiples.

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✅ Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify at least five multiples of a given number (e.g. 3, 5, 8).
• Explain the link between multiplication facts and multiples verbally or in writing.
• Co-create a visual chart displaying multiples and identify a pattern within the chart.
• Choose a 'personal challenge' number to explore its multiples and teach a peer.

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🧠 Prior Knowledge

Students should have a working knowledge of:

• Basic multiplication facts to 10x10 (especially 2s, 5s, and 10s).
• Skip counting strategies (oral/written).
• Use of times tables charts as support.

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🧭 Lesson Outline (45 Minutes)

1. Welcome & Warm-Up (5 mins)

Activity: Rapid Fire Multiples

• Students sit in a circle. Teacher says a number (e.g. "3"). Students go around the circle taking turns naming multiples of 3 (e.g. 3, 6, 9...) until someone pauses or repeats.
• Repeat with a second number (e.g. 4 or 6), giving all students at least one turn.
  💡 Establish the idea that multiples go on forever and connect closely with times tables.

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2. Explicit Teaching Burst (5 mins)

• Define the term 'multiple': A multiple of a number is what you get when you multiply that number by another whole number.
• Teacher models a quick example:
  “What are the first five multiples of 4?” ➝ 4, 8, 12, 16, 20
  • Use a whiteboard model or large chart to write down patterns.
  • Emphasise how repeated addition and skip counting link to multiplication.
• Think-Pair-Share:
  Ask students: “What do you notice about the pattern of multiples?”

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3. Guided Activity: Multiples Chart Creation (15 mins)

Task: ‘Build-A-Chart’

• Students are given mini whiteboards or A3 paper and choose a number between 2 and 12.
• They write the first 10 multiples of that number.
• Colour code odd/even numbers or highlight any repeating digits (e.g. all multiples of 9 end in 9 or sum to 9).

💬 Teacher roams, asking: "What do you notice about your multiples?" "Are there any multiples you share with your partner’s number?”

🧠 Student Agency Prompt:
“You’ve each become a number expert. How can you show others what’s special about your number’s multiples?”
Students design a 'Multiples Poster' that will be part of a classroom maths wall.

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4. Collaborative Discussion: Patterns and Overlaps (5 mins)

Come together as a class and record multiples of 3, 4, and 6 on a whole-class whiteboard chart.
Ask students to identify overlapping multiples — introduce the terminology of common multiples without deep diving (future lesson focus).

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5. Student Voice Activity: Pick-A-Challenge (10 mins)

Ask students to choose one of the following challenges:

• Option 1 – Peer Teacher Challenge
  Choose a number and prepare to teach a partner their first five multiples using drawings, arrays, or word problems.

• Option 2 – Pattern Hunter
  Use a 1–100 grid to shade in all the multiples of a chosen number and describe any patterns they find.

• Option 3 – Secret Number Riddle (for extension)
  Write a riddle that uses clues to describe a number based on its multiples:
  “I am a multiple of 6. I am less than 50. I am also a multiple of 3. What number could I be?”

Encourage students to record questions and discoveries in their Maths Journals.

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🔁 Differentiation Strategies

For Diverse Learners:

• Use multiplication charts/rekenreks for visual support.
• Allow verbal responses instead of written, if needed.
• Pair with a peer to practise and chant multiples together.
• Offer digital tools or skip counting songs for reinforcement.

For Advanced Learners:

• Explore multiples beyond 100.
• Introduce the concept of the Least Common Multiple (LCM) through discovery.
• Challenge them to find patterns using multiples of 11, 12, or prime numbers.
• Link with real world (e.g. “If a bus stops every 7 minutes, what times would it stop before 60 minutes?”)

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🧘🏻 Wrap-Up/Exit Ticket (5 mins):

One-Minute Reflection
Students complete the following two sentence stems in their Maths Journals or on an exit slip:

• “A multiple is like…”
• “One pattern I noticed today was…”

Students upload a photo or description of their chart/poster to a digital student portfolio (if available) or share aloud.

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📦 Materials & Resources

• Mini whiteboards and markers
• A3 paper or poster paper
• 100s chart handouts
• Multiplication charts (individual or laminated)
• Access to classroom maths journals or folders
• Coloured pencils/highlighters

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🏁 Teacher Notes & Observations

• Observe students’ language — are they saying “it’s in the 4 times table” or “it’s a multiple of 4”? Goal: increase mathematical vocabulary.
• Collect student work/posters for pre-assessment of who has a clear understanding and who needs more scaffolding.
• Use exit slips to group/match students for next lesson’s activity on common multiples.

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🌠 Looking Ahead: Lesson 2 Preview

Title: "Meeting in the Middle – Common Multiples"
Focus: Identifying and finding the Least Common Multiple using hands-on activities and collaborative play.

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Let the magic of numbers begin!