Learning Activity

Quick Images for Multiplication

Subject Area

Mathematics

Grade(s)

Overview

This learning activity allows the students to develop critical number sense that will help with their understanding of multiplication and equal groupings. In this learning activity, students will be shown a dot image for 3 seconds. Students will have to quickly determine the amount of total dots on the screen before they disappear. This activity helps students develop an understanding of quantity. Students will have to quickly look at the image and determine how many groups are in the image and how many dots are in each group. They will then use mental math to calculate the product of the image.

Content Standards

Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 3

MA19.3.1
Illustrate the product of two whole numbers as equal groups by identifying the number of groups and the number in each group and represent as a written expression.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Equal groups
Equation
Expression
Factor
Product
Array
Row
Column
Skip count

Knowledge

Students know:

that in multiplication, one factor represents the number of groups and the other factor represents the number of items in each group, and the product represents the total number of items in all of the groups.

Skills

Students are able to:

Use a model or drawing to illustrate the product of two whole numbers.
Write an expression or equation to represent the product of two whole numbers identifying the number of equal groups and the group size.

Understanding

Students understand that:

a multiplication problem can be interpreted as x groups of y objects.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Phase

Before/Engage

Learning Objectives

Students will find the product of an image by identifying the number of groups and the number in each group.

Activity Details

This learning activity is a great way to get your students thinking about multiplication. It will strengthen their number sense and help with their math fact practice.

The teacher will use the Google Slide presentation "Quick Images" to display a series of dot images. Instruct the students to observe each image and determine the total number of dots on the screen. They must use quick mental math (no pencils) because the teacher will only display the image for 3 seconds. After 3 seconds the teacher will click on the next blank slide in order to give the students time to think. If multiple students are struggling with this activity, the teacher should display the image for a second time but for only 3 seconds. Once ample thinking time has been given, the teacher should display the image and have a class discussion. In the discussion, students should identify how they found the total product of dots on the image and what strategy they used to do so. As the students are sharing their strategies, the teacher should write the strategy on the board making sure to write the strategy in equation form. If a student says, "I saw 5 groups first. Then I noticed that there were 4 dots in each group. I know that 5 groups of 4 are 20," then the teacher would write 5 x 4 = 20. If a student says, "I saw two groups then two more groups and one in the middle. I knew that there were 4 dots in each group so there were 20," then the teacher would write (2+2+1) x 4 = 20.

The activity will continue until all images have been displayed.

Assessment Strategies

This is an introductory activity. Student observation during the discussion time will be used as a formative assessment.

Acceleration and Intervention

Variation Tips

These slides can easily be used again by simply changing out the images.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

The teacher should review the Quick Image slides.

Digital Tools / Resources

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rjBoXAPGcTUVjJSOJJuLf9Im78fFW2D4DzD_fbs…

Approved Date

2022-06-19

Author

Owner (Author)

scarver17

Design by Adaptive Theme

Learning Resource Type