Professional Learning Target: Diving deeper into understanding of multiplication.

Thursday 6th October

Diving deeper into understanding of multiplication.

This has been a tricky week. Started off with looking at table facts, where the children were with them and which ones they still had to learn. Need to communicate this further with parents so they are aware of which tables their child need to learn. Will send home a booklet and some games.

I wanted to know what the children thought multiplication was. So I asked them to draw 5 x 2. The answers were interesting. This was the answer from most of them. I think only one child drew an array, and another 5 groups of 2.

So this gave me some idea of what we needed to do. Arrays were revisited - although when I said that word most of them looked at me blankly! I wanted them to first see an array as a multiplication sum and then to use that to understand the commutative property of multiplication. However, I think I moved too quickly and did not make sure of their complete understanding as the following day I went into associative property and ended up with 15 confused children and a frustrated teacher!

Time to rethink my planning...

Split into 2 groups, no whole class teaching this time around.
Commutative property with Ms Nocha - 2 dice, write the sum, draw the array. Change the order of the dice, write the sum, draw the array = what do you notice. They gave verbal feedback, noticing that it made no difference what order you put the numbers in, the product was the same.

Associative Property with me - 3 dice, write the sum, group them (using brackets), draw the array, work out the answer. Group them in a different way, or change the order, write the sum, draw the array, work it out - what do you notice. They wrote a sentence to explain.
= success.

Went back to asking them what they would draw for 5 x 2 = an array or 5 groups of 2 were the answers! Hurrah! What properties do you notice about multiplication - again the answers I was looking for.