Supercharging Multiplication

Lesson Overview

Target Year Levels: Year 3/4
Maths Curriculum Area: Number and Algebra – Multiplication and Division
Australian Curriculum Code:

• Year 3: ACMNA057 – Recall multiplication facts of two, three, five and ten and related division facts.
• Year 4: ACMNA075 – Develop efficient mental and written strategies and use appropriate digital technologies for multiplication and for division where there is no remainder.

Lesson Duration: 35 minutes
Class Size: 20 students

This engaging and hands-on lesson will help Year 3/4 students strengthen their multiplication skills using arrays, mental strategies, group games, and creative problem-solving challenges. It will integrate real-world examples to make their learning relevant and enjoyable.

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Learning Intentions

• Students will recall basic multiplication facts up to 10 × 10.
• Students will identify and use arrays as a strategy to represent and solve multiplication problems.
• Students will demonstrate and explain different efficient strategies (e.g. skip counting and repeated addition).

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Success Criteria

• Students can confidently solve multiplication problems using arrays or mental strategies for numbers up to 10 × 10.
• Students can explain their chosen solving method to a peer or the class.
• Students can apply multiplication to solve simple real-world problems.

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Materials

1. Small whiteboards (1 per student).
2. Whiteboard markers.
3. A3 laminated ‘Super Array’ templates (grids showing rows and columns to model arrays visually).
4. Multiplication dice (10-sided or custom dice with numbers 2-10).
5. Two buckets or containers for a hands-on activity.
6. A deck of number cards (1-10).

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up Activity (5 minutes) – Quick-Fire Multiplication Buzz

1. Gather students on the floor in a circle.
2. Begin a group game: “Multiplication Buzz.”
   • Students must count aloud in turn but replace any number that is a multiple of 2, 3, or 5 with the word “Buzz.”
   • e.g., 1, Buzz (2), Buzz (3), 4, Buzz (5), 6…
3. Each time a student mistakes a “Buzz,” challenge them to recall one multiplication fact starting with the missed number.

This energises students and reinforces skip counting linked to multiplication.

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2. Explicit Teaching (10 minutes) – Mastering Arrays and Strategies

1. On the whiteboard, draw a simple array (e.g., 3 rows of 4 dots). Ask students:
   • “How many dots are in each row? How many rows do we have?”
   • “What is the total? How can we calculate it quickly?”
2. Explain how arrays create clear groups that represent multiplication (e.g., 3 × 4 = 12).
3. Repeat using another array with dots (e.g., 5 × 2). Use skip counting or repeated addition to solve and link to multiplication.
4. Encourage student participation:
   • “Who can create their own array on their whiteboard for me?”
   • “Write the multiplication number sentence that matches it.”

Introduce a variety of strategies (e.g., skip counting, repeated addition, breaking into factors) and their applications.

Differentiation Tip:

• Year 3 students may work with smaller numbers (e.g., up to 6 × 6), while Year 4 students challenge themselves with larger equations (e.g., up to 10 × 10).

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3. Group Activity (15 minutes) – Super Array Challenges & Real-World Problems

A. Super Array Game (7 minutes)

1. Divide students into 4 groups of 5.
2. Provide each group with an A3 ‘Super Array’ template and a multiplication die.
3. One group member rolls the die twice to determine the two numbers to multiply (e.g., a roll of 3 and 5 = 3 × 5).
4. Students use counters (or shade the grid) to build the array on their template.
5. The group writes a multiplication sentence on the board and explains how they solved it.

Rotate the die roll so each group member has a turn.

B. Real-World Multiplication Problem Solving (8 minutes)

1. Scatter number cards (1-10) into two buckets. Each group draws one card from each bucket. The first card represents “rows,” and the second indicates “items per row.”
2. Pose this problem: “Imagine you’re planting flowers in a garden. If you have [card 1] rows and [card 2] flowers in each row, how many flowers do you have altogether?”
3. Students work together to calculate the answer using arrays or mental strategies and record their solution.

Share solutions and discuss strategies as a class.

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4. Reflection & Wrap-Up (5 minutes) – Multiplication Mindstorms

1. Ask students to write one multiplication fact they recall from today’s activities on their whiteboard (e.g., 6 × 7 = 42).
2. Pair up students to explain their fact and chosen solving method to a peer.
3. End with a quick-fire challenge: Select random equations from activities and ask students to “shout it out” if they know the answer.

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Extension Ideas

• Early Finishers: Challenge students to solve a multiplication ‘puzzle’ by finding all possible number pairs that equal given totals (e.g., “What pairs can make 24?”).
• Cross-Curricular Integration: Link multiplication with real data by having students design their own arrays to represent multiplication in art or data representation (e.g., colour-coded grids).

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Assessment Strategies

1. Observe students’ participation in group and individual tasks for understanding of multiplication and strategy use.
2. Listen for mathematical reasoning during explanations in peer discussions or whole-class sharing.
3. Check written work on whiteboards for accuracy and clarity.

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Teacher Reflection (Post-Class)

• Were students engaged with the hands-on and real-world application of multiplication?
• Did differentiation strategies meet the needs of all learners?
• What could be modified or extended further for improved outcomes?

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This lesson is designed to be dynamic, collaborative, and practical while reinforcing foundational multiplication skills with connections to the real world.