Multiplication and its properties (Building Arrays with Bricks) Print and Digital

Grades 2,3,4

Arrays are a great way to introduce multiplication in grade 2 and 3. Playing with arrays will help students model multiplication as repeated addition and understand the properties of multiplication. It is very important that we help students visualize and understand multiplication early on so that we build a strong foundation to support the learning of division, fractions and so much more.

Students need to make connections that will help them gain automaticity with multiplication and division facts. These connections come through a deep understanding of the concept and the properties of multiplication.

When we start with multiplication we follow these steps

Multiplication as repeated addition (use arrays and area models so that the students will grasp the concept of multiplication)

Practice the commutative property of multiplication which says that it doesn’t matter in what order you multiply numbers.

Practice the associative property of multiplication according to which the grouping of the numbers does not matter when multiplying a series of values together. For example(5×4)x2= 5x(4×2)

Practice the associative property of multiplication according to which the grouping of the numbers does not matter when multiplying a series of values together. For example(5×4)x2= 5x(4×2)

One of my favorite manipulatives when starting with multiplication and arrays is building bricks. They are a fun toy for the students and they allow them to create arrays, represent multiplication expressions, and understand the multiplication properties. I decided to create some printable and digital activity cards based on building bricks to help practice multiplication and its properties. Since many of us are teaching virtually I thought that some activity slides for students to build arrays with bricks would come in handy might even be a fun time for the students.

The printable activity cards can be used along with bricks. The digital ones allow students to drag and drop bricks of different sizes to build arrays and solve the problems.

There are multiple levels of activities.

The students can

start by building arrays based on given expressions.

solve problems after building arrays for the given expressions.

build different arrays for a number (starting with basic multiplication facts).

select the correct expressions for already built arrays. (multiplication properties)

complete the expressions for already build arrays (multiplication properties)

Write expressions for attached brick combinations. (problem solving)

How to use the printable and digital activity cards

The activity cards can be used as virtual manipulatives, for warm ups, practice, assessment, centers, homework, and more. My favorite way of using these cards is to initiate discussions and compare different ways/ arrays of representing a number and solving a multiplication problem.

Here are some samples to get an idea.

Digital Activities