Mastering Multiplication: A Lesson Plan for Elementary School Students
Learning multiplication is an essential math skill for elementary school students. It lays the foundation for understanding more complex math concepts such as fractions, decimals, and algebra. However, for many students, memorizing tables can be a daunting task. Therefore, teachers need to create a fun and interactive learning environment to make multiplication easy and enjoyable. In this blog post, we will discuss a comprehensive lesson plan to teach it to elementary school students using the CUBES method.
Introduction to Multiplication
Start the lesson by introducing the concept of multiplication and its real-life applications. Provide examples such as counting money, measuring ingredients, and calculating the area of a room. Then, divide the students into groups and instruct them to work collaboratively throughout the lesson.
Measuring with Multiplication
To begin the lesson, provide each group with a math book/workbook and a scale. Instruct the students to measure the length of their book using the scale. Ask them questions such as “What is the length of your book?” and “What will be the length of 2 such books?” Afterward, ask them to consider the following question: “What will be the length of 5 such books?” Guide the students to use multiplication to find the length of 5 books instead of adding the length of the book five times.
Word Problems Multiplication
Explain to the students that multiplication is often used to solve word problems. Write a question on the board such as “Tania is running around a square park of perimeter 320 cm. She takes 3 complete rounds of the park. What is the total distance traveled by her?” Use this question to introduce the CUBES method, which is an effective strategy for solving word problems.
CUBES Method
CUBES is an acronym that stands for Circle the numbers, Underline the question, Box the keyword, Eliminate the extra information, and Solve the problem. Make a poster of this acronym and display it in the classroom. Ask the students to identify the numbers in the question and underline the question statement. Then, have them box the keyword, which is the word “total” in this case.
Multiplication Vocabulary
To ensure that the students understand the vocabulary associated with multiplication, display flashcards with words such as Times, Total, Multiply, Product, Each, Altogether, and How many. Read the words aloud and explain their meanings. Ask the students to draw a box around the word “total” and make a multiplication sign (x) next to it.
Eliminate Extra Information
The next step is to eliminate the extra information in the question. Instruct the students to put a line across the remaining words of the statement. This step will help them focus on the relevant information required to solve the problem.
Number Equation
Finally, have the students write the number sentence in their notebooks and solve the question using multiplication. Recall the steps of multiplication if required. Once the students are done, solve the question on the board to clarify any mistakes.
Conclusion to Multiplication
As it’s an important skill that students must master to succeed in math. This lesson plan provides a comprehensive strategy to teach this using the CUBES method. By creating an interactive and engaging learning environment, teachers can make math enjoyable for their students.
