As a teacher of multiplication and division, you may be wondering how to best teach students about the relationship between these two operations. One effective way is by using arrays, which can help students see the connection between multiplication and division. Here are some activities that can be used to teach students to relate multiplication and division for arrays.
Array Art
Have students create art using arrays. Provide students with a set of colored squares and ask them to create a picture by arranging the squares in arrays. For example, a picture of a tree could be created using a 3×4 array of squares. After they finish their artwork, have them count the total number of squares they used. This will help them see the relationship between multiplication (the size of the array) and division (the total number of squares divided by the size of the array).
Array Races
This game is a fun way for students to practice multiplication and division with arrays. Give each student a grid sheet with a specific array size (e.g. 4×5). Provide them with a set of multiplication and division cards and ask them to race to fill in their grid sheet with the answers. The first student to fill in all the answers wins the game.
Array Relays
This activity is similar to the previous one, but with a team focus. Divide the class into teams and provide each team with a grid sheet. The first student in each team takes a multiplication or division card and solves the problem before running to the grid sheet to fill in the answer. They then tag the next teammate, who repeats the process until they fill in the entire grid. The first team to finish wins.
Array Bingo
This game is a fun way for students to practice identifying arrays and their corresponding multiplication and division problems. Create bingo cards with different arrays and give each student a set of multiplication and division cards. Call out multiplication and division problems and have students mark the corresponding array on their bingo card. The first student to get a line of marked arrays wins.
Array Puzzles
Provide students with a set of array puzzles that they can solve by multiplying and dividing the numbers. To create an array puzzle, draw a partial array and ask students to fill in the missing numbers. For example, a puzzle could be a 4×3 array with only 6 squares filled in, and students would need to figure out how to fill in the remaining spaces using multiplication and division.
By employing these activities, students will be able to learn about multiplication and division through the use of arrays, which will help them understand the relationship between the two operations more easily. Each of these activities engages students in a meaningful way and helps to develop essential skills in the foundation of multiplication and division.
