Math lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 45 minutes

Multiply integers, including three factors and powers

Number sense

CCSS 7.NS.A.2.ACCSS 7.NS.A.2.CEngland: KS3 NumberEngland: GCSE Foundation Number

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Multiply integers, including three factors and powers.

I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
I can explain each step and say why it works.
I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Multiply and divide integers

Leads to: Predict the sign of a product or quotient; Order of operations with negative numbers; Multiply and divide negative fractions and decimals

Materials: Place value chart, Base-ten blocks or a number line, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Multiply and divide integers). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

3 × (−8) = ? → -24Prompt: First multiply the sizes, ignoring the signs.
−18 ÷ (−9) = ? → 2Prompt: Divide the sizes first.
Evaluate (−6) × 3 − 5. → -23Prompt: Multiply first, then subtract.

Hook · 5 min

Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
Share the objective: Multiply integers, including three factors and powers. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
Example: 5 × (−12) = ?
Step 1: 5 × 12 = 60
Step 2: 5 × (−12) = −60
Answer: -60
Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

9 × (−10) = ? → -90Prompt: Multiply the sizes first.
2 × 9 × (−1) = ? → -18Prompt: Count the negative factors.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

6 × 9 × 2 = ? → 108Prompt: Count the negative factors.
Evaluate −5⁴. → -625Prompt: Without brackets, only 5 is raised to the power; the minus sign is applied after.

Watch out for

Reading 1,045 as one thousand four hundred five: point to each place and say its value.
Thinking a longer number is always bigger, even with decimals (0.45 vs 0.5).

Support and stretch

Support

Review first: Multiply and divide integers.
Use concrete materials: place value chart.
Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

Move on to: Predict the sign of a product or quotient; Order of operations with negative numbers; Multiply and divide negative fractions and decimals.
Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-7.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder