Math lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 60 minutes
Multiplying by 0 and 1
Multiplication and division
CCSS 3.OA.B.5England: Y4 Multiplication and division
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Multiplying by 0 and 1.
- 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: Equal groups and repeated addition
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Counters for arrays, Multiplication grid, Base-ten blocks, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Equal groups and repeated addition). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- There are 3 boxes with 3 pencils in each. How many pencils are there altogether? → 9Prompt: Are the groups all the same size?
- There are 6 shelves with 5 books in each. How many books are there altogether? → 30Prompt: Are the groups all the same size?
- There are 3 nests with 4 eggs in each. How many eggs are there altogether? → 12Prompt: Are the groups all the same size?
Hook · 6 min
- Show an array of chairs, eggs or windows and ask how many there are without counting one by one.
- Share the objective: Multiplying by 0 and 1. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: 0 × 30 = ?
- Step 1: 30 × 0 = 0
- Answer: 0
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- 144 × 1 = ? → 144Prompt: One group of 144: how much is that?
- Find the missing number: 42 × __ = 0 → 0Prompt: What do you multiply by to get 0? To keep a number the same?
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Find the missing number: __ × 1 = 14 → 14Prompt: What do you multiply by to get 0? To keep a number the same?
- 438 × 0 = ? → 0Prompt: 438 groups of nothing: how much is that?
Watch out for
- Thinking multiplying always makes a number bigger.
- Dropping a zero in long multiplication when moving to the tens row.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Equal groups and repeated addition.
- Use concrete materials: counters for arrays.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- 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-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder