Multiplication Tracker

For a long time, I have tested and tracked student's ability to complete math facts given 60 seconds per fact.  This year, I had a student observer that came up with this cute poster.  The fact tests look like little spider webs so we drew spiders each time they correctly completed a factor.

Multiplication Songs

Often times it is difficult for students to recall their multiplication facts.  We encourage students to look at multiplication as patterns in numbers, or skip counting, and picture the multiplication chart in their head.  However, this concept is still difficult for some.  Song is often a very effective way of memorization.  I did not create these, but I do teach these in my class and have made posters to hang in the hall for the students to see when in line or at restroom break.  They are all set to familiar tunes, except maybe the eights.  Most kids don't know that song anymore.

3 Ways to Multiply

Today we practiced and practiced, and practiced some more.  Each student chose for themselves which of the three methods was easiest for them.  Check out our poster!

2 Digit x 2 Digit

There are several ways to find a product.  We learned 2 ways today; traditional and partial product. 
For the traditional method, I taught the students to say "OZTA" which stands for Ones, Zero, Tens, Add.  It helps them to not get lost in the process.
For partial product, the students write each number in expanded form and then multiply and then add the products.  They are taking the number apart and then putting it back together.