Ancient Egyptian Multiplication

I created this video for the Thinking Math class that I facilitate. To develop an complete understanding of multiplication, one must understand that multiplication is about groups of a specific number. Being able to decompose or recompose numbers is a higher level skill that shows number sense. The Egyptians had this down. This video is helpful for building the idea that multiplication is about equal groups.

Thinking Through Multiplication and Division

Here is a video from a 3rd grade class regarding the teaching of Multiplication and Division. One of the reasons I would include this on a site for Middle School is that many of our students are weak in in this area. While facts practice is important, so is an understanding of what multiplication and division is. Looking for patterns, developing strategies (such as decomposing), and building their mathematical sense and confidence are elements that are helpful to include when teaching math to any grade.

Using Decomposing Numbers to Solve Problems

Click on the video to view.

This lesson could be used as a fill-in when your regular math lesson ends before class time is up. Or it can be a lesson on days that you want to supplement your Agile Mind. Or even as the start of a Success Time lesson.

A lesson like this is helpful for something as simple as students who are struggling with their multiplication facts as it builds their number sense and provides strategies for problems they have not yet committed to memory. It is also helpful for building mental math strategies for larger problems.