Multiplication Games and Activities
Multiplication Games.... Before the Worksheets
Choose an appropriate strategy and equation for story problems.
Your child now knows their basic facts and a variety of strategies to solve these facts. A common problem at this point is to struggle putting their use of strategies and basic facts to work to solve multi-step story problems.
Story problems often take time to troubleshoot which can discourage children. Most kids are use to quickly using a strategy and writing down the answer. However, story problems require kids to take time to analyze the problem. Perseverance is the key to success. Our goal is to instill in them that’s it is OK to struggle and stew over a problem for while.
Many children need some strategies, to help solve story problems. Strategies can be helpful for students who are having difficulty moving from the concrete level of understanding to the abstract level of understanding.
The best strategy you can give your child is:
The " Think Out Loud" Strategy
If your child has trouble answering story problems or is just learning how, they need lots of opportunities to hear someone verbally work through a problem. If you are able to “think out loud” while your solving a story problem, your child will be able to understand the process of solving a problem. The “think out loud” strategy should be taught after the student has acquired an understanding of the math concept/skill.
Here is how you do it:
(1). Read problem two times:
First, just to read the problem.
Second, for understanding.
(2). Restate what you know so far....... "Now, we know that………………."( I restate the facts from the problem).
(3). Next, restate the question in the problem: "We need to find out...".
(4). Brainstorm a plan. Make a statement that starts with, "Maybe I can..." to begin thinking out loud about what operations might work for this story problem. At this point ask your child what they think about the problem.
(5).Choose an appropriate strategy and equation for story problem.
(6). Reread the problem to see if your answer makes sense.
You child should be listen for key words in a story problems:
Clue Words for Addition:
sum
total
in all
perimeter
Clue Words for Subtraction
difference
how much more
exceed
Clue Words for Multiplication:
product
total
area
times
Clue Words for Division:
share
distribute
quotient
average
Although clue words vary a bit, you'll find that there will be consistency with them to guide you to the correct operation.
More multiplication games to come.....
Multiplication Games.... Before the Worksheets
Explain written equations and how they arrived at an answer.
By 5th grade your child needs to be able to put all many strategies together to solve more complex equations.
Listen to your child's thinking:
Ask your child to explain how they are solving equations. It will go along way to just listen as they explain their thinking.
The cool things about having your child work through the problem out loud is:
(1). You can correct any mistakes they are making while they are working through the equation!
(2). You can discuss with your child if they are using the quickest and most accurate strategy to solve a problem.
Here is a great example:
25x16....Okay I am going to break this problem up into 25x10 ( I pulled the 6 out of 16 so I have friendly ten to work with).
I know that 10 eats what ever number it is multiplied by so that is 250.
Now I am left with 6 so I have 25x 6. I have a few choices.. I can think of 25 as quarters ( 4 quarters make 100) so I have 150... or I can break it up into two problems: 20x6 and 6x5, add the products and get 150.
I am now ready to add my 250 and my 150 for 400.
More multiplication games to come....
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