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Teaching multiplication with arrays? Discover 5 fun and engaging hands-on activities to help your students master this essential math skill! and a library of teaching resources too!

Multiplication is an essential skill that is introduced to primary school students in the early years. It involves the process of repeated addition and is used in a variety of everyday situations, from calculating the total cost of items at a store to figuring out how many groups of people can fit into a room. One effective way to help students master multiplication is by using arrays.

How To Use Arrays in Multiplication

Arrays are a powerful visual tool that can help students understand multiplication by showing them how to organize items into rows and columns.

By using arrays, students can better comprehend the concept of multiplication, and they can also learn how to solve multiplication problems more easily.

5 Hands-on Arrays Ideas

Here are five fun and engaging hands-on activities that you can use in your classroom to teach multiplication with arrays:

1. Building Arrays with Manipulatives

Using manipulatives, such as blocks or tiles, have students create arrays by building rows and columns. For example, have them build an array that represents 3 rows of 4. Once the students have built their array, have them write the multiplication sentence that represents the array, in this case, 3 x 4 = 12.

2. Array Races

In this game, have students work in pairs to build arrays as quickly as possible. One student will call out a multiplication problem, and the other will have to build the corresponding array as fast as they can. For example, if the problem is 4 x 5, the student will have to build an array with 4 rows and 5 columns. The first pair to complete the task wins.

3. Arrays in Everyday Objects

Have students look for arrays in everyday objects, such as windows, fences, or tiles. Ask them to take pictures of the arrays they find and bring them to class. Then, have them describe the array, count the total number of items in the array, and write the corresponding multiplication sentence.

4. Array City

4. Array city: In this activity, students use construction paper, scissors, and glue to create a “city” made up of arrays. First, have students draw and cut out rectangular buildings from construction paper. Then, have them create arrays on each building by drawing windows or using small stickers. Once the buildings are complete, students can arrange them on a large piece of paper to create their “array city.” This activity not only reinforces multiplication skills but also allows for creativity and spatial reasoning.

By using arrays in these fun and engaging activities, students can learn how to master multiplication more easily.

These activities can also help students develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and improve their overall confidence in math.

So, give them a try and watch your students’ multiplication skills improve in no time!

Related Posts: Essential Guide To Multiplication