How to Introduce Multiplication
Multiplication is one of the most important things that kids have to learn in math and should be introduced early. This goes with my tag line that success begins early. If students understand how to do addition then they are ready for multiplication. I had a couple six year old students with me this summer in my multiplication crash course class and they did a great job. I even learned that one of them had not learned subtraction with regrouping but she was already on the way to mastering multiplication. I love that she was able to do that and it will set her up well for math in the future. Students definitely need to be introduced to some of the concepts of multiplication by the end of 2nd grade, but they can even be introduced earlier. As a teacher you then are probably wondering how to introduce multiplication to your students.
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How to Introduce Multiplication #1 Start at the Beginning
One of the first things that you need to look at when thinking about introducing multiplication is just to start at the beginning. Students should start multiplication by working with their ones and twos. Ones can be practiced by just counting. However, students really need to understand the identity rule of 1s, which is anything that is multiplied by 1 is that number. 2×1=2. 5×1=5, 1,542,789 x1= 1,542,789. If students understand this rule they can multiply anything by one.
With twos skip counting is definitely the place to start. If students can count by two they are already more prepared for multiplication than those that cannot. From there you can start looking at other strategies.
The way that I introduce 1s and 2s multiplication to my students is through my multiplication lesson plans. This is an interactive presentation that will have students going through all the multiplication strategies below. I have found that it is the perfect way to introduce multiplication to students who may have never done multiplication before. Plus it has really cute sun clip-art that my students love.
How to Introduce Multiplication #2 Multiplication Strategies
Once your students have done some of the strategies with 1s and 2s they are ready to employ these strategies with other numbers. These strategies will make sure that they really understand the concepts of multiplication and know how to find the answer even if they do not have their multiplication tables memorized.
Skip Counting
Skip counting should be the first thing that your students are looking at when you are trying to introduce multiplication. As I stated above also you should start with 2s. When I am introducing multiplication by skip counting by two I use my skip counting by two boom cards. This boom deck has my students pick the next numbers in line by clicking on numbers or even pictures. Students will begin seeing patterns as well when they work with this boom deck.
Patterns
The next strategy that students have to learn after skip counting is patterns. Since we are just introducing multiplication the best place to start for that are the twos. I have a boom card deck also that introduces the patterns of twos. This deck first shows students that the pattern in the ones place for 2s is 0,2,4,6,8. If students know this pattern they will be able to count by twos practically infinitely. This deck also helps set up students for repeated addition.
Repeated Addition
Another strategy that you need to know when you are trying to figure out how to introduce multiplication is repeated addition. I also have boom cards that I use to practice this with students specifically for their twos. With these boom cards students will be able to see the multiplication problem and convert that into a repeated addition equation to help find the answer. Overall, this is my most popular boom cards for multiplication.
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Grouping
Grouping is one of the last multiplication strategies that you can teach when you are learning how to introduce multiplication. Is to have students work on grouping things into different groups. I really enjoy doing this with base ten blocks with my students, but you can do it with any counting aid. Mini erasers are a fun thing to play putting in different groups. You can also have students group stickers together if you have students that are really into stickers.
Another product that I have to go over arrays and grouping as well as the multiplication strategies above is my multiplication lesson plans bundle. My students really click with these during my classes. They are able to catch onto multiplication subjects really fast and that is helpful for making sure that they are ready for more multiplication.
How to Introduce Multiplication #3 Use a Multiplication Table
When students are first learning their multiplication it is important for them to have a multiplication table. This will help them be able to look up the answer and eventually they will be able to know the numbers without the table.
As a starting activity it may be good to fill it out together as a class. If you are working on ones that day you can fill out all the ones and two etc. I have created a fill in times table chart that is perfect for an activity like this for my subscribers in The Ultimate Multiplication Toolkit. In order to get the toolkit click the picture below to subscribe.
How to Introduce Multiplication #4 Use a 100s Chart
The last activity in my list of how to introduce multiplication is to use a 100s chart. I have included one of these in The Ultimate Multiplication Toolkit. 100 charts helps students see the patterns better. I like to laminate mine and then as a class we will color like all the threes green, all the 2s blue or whatever number we are working on. This allows students to see the patterns of multiplication. It also is helpful for them to draw jumps on the chart till the next number which overall can help them with skip counting and then multiplication.
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