Stretch, Scale, Multiply

National Curriculum Links

• Mathematics: Year 4 Number – Multiplication and Division
  • Recall multiplication and division facts for multiplication tables up to 12 × 12.
  • Use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including: multiplying by 0 and 1; multiplying together three numbers.
  • Solve problems involving scaling by simple fractions and problems involving simple rates.
• Mathematics: Year 3 Number – Multiplication and Division (for bridging knowledge)
  • Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables.
  • Solve problems, including missing number problems, involving multiplication and division.

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WALT:

• Understand and solve integer scaling problems by relating multiplication facts to real-life contexts.
• Use bar models and concrete materials to represent scaling situations visually.
• Solve word problems involving multiplication and proportional reasoning.

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Success Criteria:

• I can recall multiplication facts up to 12 × 12.
• I can draw bar models to show scaling situations.
• I can multiply to find how lengths or quantities scale up.
• I can explain how scaling changes the size of objects or quantities.
• I can solve word problems involving scaling and stretching.

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Resources Needed:

• Elastic bands (approx. 7cm pieces, one per pair)
• Multilink cubes or counters
• Sticky notes for labelling groups
• Whiteboards and pens
• Printed pizza slice charts (5 slices small, 9 slices medium, 12 slices large pizzas)
• Visual bar model templates (printed or on whiteboard)
• Dyslexia-friendly font worksheets (e.g., OpenDyslexic style) with questions and models
• Timer or stopwatch (for timed multiplication fact rehearsal)

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Lesson Outline (45 minutes)

1. Introduction & Recap (5 minutes)

• Greet class and explain today’s focus: “solving scaling problems using multiplication.”
• Use concrete examples to briefly recap Year 3 multiplication tables of 3, 4, and 8 to get everyone engaged.
• WALT and success criteria shared on board using clear dyslexia-friendly font and colour coding (e.g., bullet points in high-contrast colours).

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2. Engage: Rehearse Multiplication with Pizza Slices (10 minutes)

• Present the problem:
  “Small pizzas have 5 slices, medium pizzas have 9 slices, and large pizzas have 12 slices. How many slices in 3 medium pizzas and 2 large pizzas?”
• Show pictorial chart of pizzas with slices to support understanding.
• Pupils work in pairs to calculate total slices using multiplication facts.
• Ask: "How did you multiply? Can you use your times tables?"
• Support low attainers with times tables mats; encourage advanced learners to write related problems multiplying larger numbers of pizzas.

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3. Explore: Elastic Band Scaling with Concrete Models (15 minutes)

• Introduce elastic band example: show a 7cm elastic band.
• Stretch it to twice its length and ask: “How long is it now? How much longer than the original?”
• Pupils physically measure their elastic bands.
• Use multilink cubes to model original and stretched elastic length:
  • Build a group of 7 cubes → label ‘7’ on sticky note.
  • Build 2 such groups to represent the ‘twice as long’ condition, arrange linearly.
• Draw the bar model on whiteboards as a class: label units (7 + 7 = 14cm).
• Discuss: “Where do we see the answers in the bar model? How does the model help us?”

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4. Apply: Increasing Scale Factors (10 minutes)

• Present a new problem: “Elastic stretched to 6 times original length, now 42cm long. What was the original length?”
• Pupils build and draw the model with 6 groups of cubes labelled ‘?’.
• Using division, find original length (42 ÷ 6 = 7 cm).
• Discuss and write key points about what the model shows.
• Introduce word problem for deeper reasoning:
  “Emma went bungee jumping. At the bottom, the rope was 6 times longer than before she jumped. It was 48m long. How long was the rope before Emma jumped?”
• Pupils write out their answers with supporting bar models.

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5. Plenary & Assessment (5 minutes)

• Quick-fire questions to rehearse times tables relevant to lesson (focus on x7 and x6). Use a timer to increase engagement.
• On mini whiteboards, pupils draw a bar model for a problem:
  “A scarf is stretched to 4 times its length and is now 28cm. How long was it originally?”
• Collect boards, evaluate understanding visually and provide immediate feedback.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Low Attainers: Use more concrete materials and visuals; provide multiplication mats and 1:1 support if required. Focus on recall of 2, 5, 10 times tables and build up.
• English as an Additional Language (EAL): Visual scaffolds, paired talk with peers using sentence stems; visuals for vocabulary (stretch, length, times, multiply).
• Dyslexic Learners: Provide dyslexia-friendly worksheets; use coloured overlays to reduce visual stress; verbal repetition of key vocabulary; avoid dense text.
• Advanced Learners: Create multi-step scaling problems integrating division; challenge pupils with “What if?” questions (e.g. “What if elastic stretched to 8 times and now measures 56cm, what was original length?”); ask to explain problem-solving strategies orally or in writing.

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Extension Activities

• Investigate fractional scaling: “What if the elastic were stretched to 2 ½ times its original length? How would you calculate?”
• Create their own scaling problems involving items at home (e.g., stretching a rubber band, scaling quantities in recipes).
• Use digital resources or apps to model scaling visually and interactively (if available).

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Additional Teacher Notes

• Keep reinforcing multiplication facts throughout all activities to close knowledge gaps from Y1 and Y2 foundations.
• Use consistent, clear terminology and ensure children can explain key vocabulary in their own words.
• Encourage peer collaboration to support understanding and confidence.
• Use positive reinforcement and celebrate efforts and progress, especially for pupils showing growth in times table fluency.

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This lesson engages multiple senses – visual, kinaesthetic, and oral – to support mixed attainment learners in grasping scaling concepts grounded firmly in the National Curriculum for England Year 4.