Multiplication and Division - 7 times tables and division facts - Planning

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson, students delve into the world of multiplication and division, focusing specifically on the 7 times tables and related division facts. The lesson is structured to begin with a warm-up that revisits previously learned multiplication tables. The main teaching input encourages children to apply their knowledge of the 7 times tables to larger numbers, reinforcing their mental calculation strategies. For instance, if they know 7 x 7 equals 49, they can use this fact to solve similar calculations, like 5 x 7 and 2 x 7. The lesson's activities guide students to explore the relationship between multiplication by 7 and its expanded form when multiplied by multiples of 10, such as 40 x 7 or 400 x 7, and to see the patterns that emerge from these operations.

Further activities involve using arrays to help students write fact families and understand the connections between multiplication and division. Key questions prompt students to reflect on how knowing one fact can aid in solving others and to consider the similarities and differences between various number facts. The plenary includes a 'Give me five' reflection technique where students assess what they've learned, the skills they've used, and what they found challenging, ensuring they remember the key points from the lesson. Differentiated tasks cater to varying levels of understanding, from working towards the expected level where students focus on basic multiplication by 2, 3, 5, and 10, to reaching greater depth where they tackle multi-step problems using the 7 times tables.