Multiplication and Division - Multiply and Divide by 6 - Planning

In the second week of the Autumn term for Year 4, a mathematics lesson is dedicated to mastering the skills of multiplying and dividing by 6. The class begins with a starter activity that prompts students to utilise their times tables knowledge and understanding of equal groups. The main teaching input focuses on using pictorial representations to visualise and solve multiplication and division problems. For instance, students might be asked to calculate the total number of eggs in several boxes, reinforcing their multiplication skills. When it comes to division, practical resources such as counters are employed to aid understanding, with students encouraged to share counters between groups and to also develop mental strategies for division, like counting in sixes to find how many times 6 is contained within a number.

The lesson also explores the concept of fact families, where children learn how a single multiplication fact can lead to related multiplication and division facts. This understanding is further cemented through independent worksheet activities. The lesson concludes with a reflective 'Give me five' plenary, where students consider what they have learned, the skills they have used, and any challenges they faced. Depending on their level of understanding, children work on different tasks. Some compare the 3 and 6 times tables, while others extend their learning to times tables beyond 12, employing mental strategies such as partitioning to solve more complex problems. This structured approach ensures that all students are working towards mastering multiplication and division by 6, with differentiation to cater to those working towards the expected level, at the expected level, or at greater depth.