Multiplication and division - Multiplication from pictures - Planning

In Year 2, students delve into the concept of multiplication through visual and practical means. The lesson begins with a starter activity that encourages children to use multiplication symbols and interpret word problems by drawing images. They will revisit previous lessons to reinforce their understanding of multiplication as repeated addition. The class is guided to discuss and represent multiplication sentences from pictures, using key vocabulary such as 'addition', 'multiplication', 'lots of', 'represent', 'interpret', and the multiplication symbol. Differentiated sheets, teaching slides, and concrete resources are provided to support learning. Activities are designed to help children recognise the equivalence of phrases like 'groups of', 'lots of', and 'multiplied by', and to write the corresponding repeated addition sentences.

The lesson includes a practical activity where children explore various ways to represent multiplication using images on cards, such as '5 groups of 4' or '5 x 4'. They are also challenged with reasoning and problem-solving tasks, where they must draw or use concrete resources to illustrate stories and write the related calculations. Key questions prompt students to think about the meaning behind the numbers in a multiplication sentence and to create their own stories that match given calculations. The lesson aims to cater to different levels of understanding, from 'Working Towards' where children use visual aids and stick to simpler times tables, to 'Greater Depth' where they work with incomplete tables and a wider range of multiplication sentences. The 'Give me five' reflection activity helps students consolidate what they have learned and identify areas for further practice.