Workshop: Strategies for Multiplication Facts

Display the Multiplication Table in Question 10 in the Student Guide. Remind students that they have been developing strategies for the multiplication facts for the 5s and 10s (orange), 2s and 3s (yellow), 9s (light blue), square numbers (light green), and for 0 and 1 (red). Ask small groups to discuss Question 10A, in what order should you practice the facts since some facts are easier to remember than others? Students should notice that the 5s and 10s and 2s are easy to recall and can be used to solve other multiplication facts.

Use Question 10B to help students notice the multiplication facts for The Last Six Facts (4 × 6, 4 × 7, 4 × 8, 6 × 7, 6 × 8, 7 × 8). The last six facts are often solved by reasoning with other facts. For example, to solve 4 × 6 = 24 think 2 × 6 + 2 × 6 or 12 + 12 = 24.

Assign one of the last six facts to each pair of students in the class. Distribute Centimeter Grid Paper to each student pair and ask them to find a strategy to solve the multiplication fact. Ask each pair to share their strategy with the class.

Ask pairs to trade multiplication facts and their solutions. Next ask each pair to find another way to solve the same multiplication fact. Display these solutions on the bulletin board space you prepared. Students can then refer to these strategies as they continue to develop fluency for the all the multiplication facts in Units 9–13.