I am so excited to tell you of a new weekly linky that I'm participating in! The Lesson Delicatessen, a group of amazing teachers from Teachers Pay Teachers, will be hosting a weekly linky on Saturdays - Supermarket Saturdays. We will have blog posts highlighting some great products and once a month a sale on select items/themes.
So, here's what I have for Halloween - Monster Magic Squares!
This is a great game to teach understanding place value in multi-digit multiplication. I probably spend more time teaching the "whys" behind what we do in math than I do teaching the algorithms. Usually, if my students understand why it works, they can do the actual work.
Students play by choosing a monster card and figuring out the multiplication problem on the card. Each card has 2 problems so you can differentiate for your students.
Students use the magic squares template to solve the problem. I've found it easy to attach the 2 blank templates to the inside of a file folder. That way, 2 students can play. One student chooses a card and solves it on the template. The other student checks with the answer key. If the player completed the problem correctly, that student keeps the card. The player to earn 10 points first wins. Obviously, you can modify the amount needed to win.
It's important to teach students the place value thinking in this game, since the algorithm is dependent upon students understanding this.
Students will need to decompose the both factors into 10s and 1s (above factors - 36 X 19). Thirty-six breaks down to be 30 and 6, nineteen to 10 and 9. Students multiply the broken down sections and add across and down (see above explanation). The Magic Square method doesn't have students adding random zeros to their algorithm, but multiplying according to place value. Once students can manipulate numbers this way, multiplication becomes so much easier to understand and master.
Follow the "Monster Multiplication Squares" link in the linky below to see this product in my TpT store. It's a great Halloween activity (or all throughout the year), and your students will be doing something educational while having fun with the Halloween monsters!
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