Multiplication and division - Divide by 4 - Planning

In this Year 3 mathematics lesson, students are introduced to the concept of multiplying by 4 as an extension of their understanding of the two times table. The lesson begins with a warm-up activity where students practice counting in multiples of two and four to highlight the relationship between these sequences. The class is divided to count in unison, emphasising that multiplying by four is equivalent to doubling a number twice. This concept is further reinforced through the use of 100 squares, counters, and hoops to visually represent multiplication as repeated addition. The children work in small groups to sort multiples of four cards into a Venn diagram, prompting discussion about the relationship between multiples of two and four, and whether all multiples of four are also multiples of two.

As the lesson progresses, practical activities encourage students to represent multiplication problems using concrete resources like cubes and counters, and to articulate their understanding through stem sentences. For example, when representing 8 x 4, students discuss what the 8 (the number of groups) and the 4 (the number in each group) signify. The lesson incorporates reasoning activities that challenge students to compare and scale problems, fostering mathematical reasoning and the use of mathematical language. Key questions guide the students to explore the concepts of equal groups, number sentences, and representations of problems. The lesson is structured to cater to different levels of understanding, with activities ranging from simple multiplication tasks to more complex problems that require fluency in multiplying by 4 and the application of known facts for efficient problem-solving.