Lesson Plan #3: Multiplication and Arrays
Performance Objective: When provided a multiplication equation, students will correctly draw an array 10 out of 12 times.
Resources or Materials Needed: Worksheet, 200 counters, whiteboard, dry erase marker, document camera, 18 M&Ms.
Time: 60 minutes
Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities: Ask students what they know about rows and columns. Review the meanings of row and column. Remind students that they learned about rows and columns when they studied tables. Tell students that as with tables, the rows of an array go across and the columns go up and down. On the document camera, display 6 rows of 3 M&M’s. Explain that they are looking at an array of M&M’s. The array is arranged in 6 rows and 3 columns. As a volunteer how many M&M’s they see. Teach them that there are a few different strategies to figuring out the number of M&M’s. They can individually count them, they can add the rows together, add the columns together, or multiply the number of M&M’s in the rows by the number of M&M’s in the columns. Practice writing a multiplication math sentence by arranging the M&M’s in various arrays. When finished, give each student an M&M.
Step 2: Content Presentation: Continuing large group, display various array pictures on the document camera. Remind the students that in each of the pictures, the arrangement of the objects is called an array. Make sure to point out the rows and columns again. Emphasize that each row and each column has the same number of objects.
Step 3: Learner Participation: Give each student 20 counters and have them go back to their desk. Have them practice making different arrays using their counters.
Step 4: Assessment: On a worksheet, students will draw an array for each multiplication sentence. (See Appendix C)
Step 5: Follow-Through Activities: Have students compare various arrays without counting the objects. Have students write equations for different arrays
Lesson Plan Summary: This lesson begins with M&Ms to grasp the attention of the students. Start in a large group and end instruction with individual work to monitor progress of each student. These instructional strategies support the learning theory of Constructivism because students rely on prior knowledge to recall what has been previously learned and the teacher acts as a guide along the way to help as needed.