Multiplication and Division - Multiply by 1 and 0 - Planning

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson focussing on multiplication and division, students delve into the concepts of multiplying by 1 and 0. The lesson utilises a variety of resources, including number shapes or counters, worksheets, and a presentation to aid learning. The key vocabulary introduced includes terms such as 'multiplication', 'pictorial representation', and 'commutative law'. Students begin by revisiting their existing knowledge on the topic, with a particular emphasis on understanding the effects of multiplying numbers by 1, using concrete materials to visualise the process. They explore the idea that multiplying by 1 results in the original number, and that the commutative law allows for the factors in a multiplication equation to be swapped without changing the product.

Further activities encourage students to discuss and understand what multiplying by 0 means, using number pieces to represent equations such as 9 x 0 and seeing why the result is always 0. The lesson includes pictorial representations to solidify this understanding, and missing number activities to assess comprehension. Key questions prompt students to demonstrate their learning and recognise common misconceptions, such as the incorrect belief that multiplying by 0 results in the original number. The lesson concludes with a reflective 'Give me five' plenary, where students articulate what they've learned, the skills they've utilised, any challenges they've encountered, and what they will remember moving forward. Differentiated activities cater to varying levels of understanding, from 'Working towards' to 'Working at greater depth', ensuring all students can represent and explain the effects of multiplying by 1 and 0 on numbers.