Multiplication Strategies

Matches or pairs are made by matching products. On a player’s turn, he or she asks another player for a product that would make a match with a card in his or her hand. Otherwise, the player is told to “Go Fish.”
 

Materials: Flashcards or index cards with subtraction facts written on them but no answers

Each player is dealt 7 cards. Matches or pairs are made by matching differences. Thus 12 - 9 and 8 - 5 can be a match. On a player’s turn, he or she asks another player for a difference that would make a match with a card in his or her hand. Thus if the player has 18 -9 in his hand, he would ask another player for a 9.  If that player has 12 - 3 or any other card equaling 9, a match has been made. Otherwise, the player is told to “Go Fish.”
 

As with other Memory games, players take turns flipping two cards. If the products are equal, the player has made a match and keeps the cards. If products are not equal, the cards are turned back over. 
 

Materials: graph paper

Make rectangular arrays for the multiplication facts, and cut them out. Then, label the dimensions on one side and the answer on the other side. For example:
Front                                      Back
 

You can then use the arrays to look at the dimensions and give the total or, given the total, state the dimensions. Another variation could be a game of “big array, small array” in which you lay 5 large arrays out for each player. Take turns finding two arrays that can cover a big array completely for a “match”.  

Materials: graph paper, pair of dice

Each player gets a piece of graph paper. On a player’s turn, he rolls the dice. The dice will tell the player the dimensions of a rectangle to draw on the graph paper. So, if the player rolls a 3 and a 4, the player draws a 3 by 4 rectangle on the graph paper. Inside the rectangle, the player records 3 X 4 = 12. Then, the next player rolls. Play continues until one of the players can’t place a rectangle on the graph paper because there is no room left. Each player figures out the total number of squares covered on the graph paper. The winner has covered the most squares.  
 

Materials: pair of dice, coins or small markers to use as players around the bases.  

Decide who will be up to bat first.  The other player will be the pitcher.  The pitcher rolls the dice.  The player up to bat must find the product of the dice rolled.  Use the following game board to move your game pieces around the bases.  After 3 outs, players switch rolls.  
 

First, select a factor that you want to practice. This will be the number that you place in the center of your flower. 

Begin by writing the numbers 1 -10 (factors) on top of the flower petals. If you use the flower template, you might want to also include 11 and 12 or you can leave 2 petals blank.   Under each factor petal, place a product petal with the answer (product) for the multiplication problem. For the 7 flower, you’ll notice that under the 4 petal is the number 28. Under the petal for 6 would be the number 42 since 7 x 6 = 42. 

Now you can pick up your flower and practice lifting the petals to see if you know the product (answer) to the multiplication problem. Try making an entire bouquet of flowers and picking a different flower each day to practice. 

Here is a flower template that you can use. 
 

Recent research in the area of the brain shows that we learn math best when we can attach multiple meanings to it especially as visual representations. Try folding a paper in fourths and then fold down the corner of the middle. Open it up and represent a math fact in 4 ways. Begin by writing the fact you want to work on in the middle. Then, represent the problem 4 ways by creating a visual solution of the problem, a different visual solution, writing a story problem and solving the problem numerically. 

These cards assist students in visualizing the multiplication facts which is extremely helpful in committing the facts to memory. Print and cut out the cards. Then use the cards to talk about how you are seeing the groups and combining them to determine the product (total). The more you look at the combinations the easier and quicker they will be to solve.  You can watch this video to see how the cards can be used.
Link to cards

Materials: Gameboard for The Product Game and small markers or game pieces

1. Player 1 puts a paper clip or another marker on a number in the factor list. No square on the product grid is marked with Player 1’s color because only one factor has been marked; it takes two factors to make a product. 
2. Player 2 puts the other paper clip on any number in the factor list (including the same number marked by Player 1) and then shades or covers the product of the two factors on the product grid.
3. Player 1 moves either one of the paper clips to another number and then shades or covers the new product.
4. Each player, in turn, moves a paper clip and marks a product. If a product is already marked, the player does not get a mark for that turn. 

The winner is the first player to mark four squares in a row -- up and down, across, or diagonally.  

The Product Game Video Tutorial
 

Materials: 120 chart, counters or tokens, six sided dice 

Players begin by placing their four counters on the 1-square (the ‘home’ square). The goal of the game is to be
the first player to move all 4 of their counters to the 120-square (the ‘finish’ square). Counters must land exactly
on the 120-square.

• Players move their counters by rolling the 6-sided dice, and then choosing one of their counters to move by multiplying the value of the square occupied by that counter with whatever number is rolled.
• If a counter goes past the 120-square, it is moved back to the 1-square.
• If you land on a counter occupied by another player, you send their counter back to the 1-square.
• Players are permitted to have more than one of their counters on any given square (i.e., you can ‘stack’ your own counters), although if another player lands on this square, they will send all of their opponents counters back to the 1-square.

Multiplication Ludo Video Tutorial

Materials: Playing board (made with pencil and paper), counters or tokens, a deck of cards

In this game, you create a game board on which you place the products of two different factors. You take turns turning over a card from the deck and multiplying it by one of the two factors to place one of your game pieces on the board. The goal is to be the first player to have 3 of your game pieces in a row. Watch the tutorial for all the details.

3 In a Row Video Tutorial

Materials: Playing board (made with pencil and paper), counters or tokens, a deck of cards 

A version of Bingo using multiplication facts.  Create your own Bingo board of products and use a deck of cards to create the problems. Watch the tutorial to learn the game.

Multo Video Tutorial