Multiplication Teaching Resources
Teach multiplication with ease this school year with free printable multiplication worksheets, digital activities, games and more to help students understand how to multiply numbers and apply multiplication strategies to math problems.
This teaching resource collection was created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team for elementary teachers, and each curriculum-aligned resource has been carefully reviewed and curated to ensure it's ready to use with your students!
Explore multiplication charts and tables, methods for explaining the associative and commutative properties and more, plus find differentiated resources to help you meet each student's needs!
Want to learn more about multiplication? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is Multiplication? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Introducing multiplication to your class? Let's get started with a definition of this math operation that's easy for them to understand.
Multiplication is the process of adding a number to itself many times. It's a simple way to figure out how much you'll have when you add the same number again and again.
Let's look at an example.
Pretend you have 3 apples, and you want to multiply them by 4.
If you did this, you would end up with 12 apples because you added 3 apples to itself four times (3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12).
Multiplication Terms
Launching into multiplication in your math class involves plenty of new vocabulary words for your students to learn! Here are some of the terms you will want to start off with.
Product
The product of a multiplication problem is the result of multiplying two or more numbers together. It's basically the answer to your math problem!
Partial Product
If the product is the answer, what's a partial product? This is the name of each product when you break apart the factors and multiply the parts in a multi-digit number. While there are many ways to solve multiplication problems with partial products, the box method is a common strategy to help students break apart each factor before multiplying.
Factor
In multiplication, the factor is the number that is being multiplied by another number to get a product. For example, in the problem 3 x 4 = 12, the numbers 3 and 4 are factors, and the product is 12.
Multiplication Table
Sometimes called a times table, a multiplication table that shows the products of all the possible combinations of two numbers.
What Is the Associative Property of Multiplication?
The associative property of multiplication means we can change the grouping of the factors being multiplied, and it won't change the product. For example:
- (2 x 3) x 4 = 2 x (3 x 4) = 24
No matter how we group the factors being multiplied, the product will always be the same!
A cartoon version of the multiplication symbol
What Is the Commutative Property of Multiplication?
The commutative property of multiplication means we can change the order of the multiplied factors without changing the product. For example:
- 3 x 4 = 4 x 3 = 12
This means we can multiply the factors in any order we like and still get the same result!
What Is the Distributive Property of Multiplication?
Another property of multiplication students learn in elementary school is distributive. This means we can distribute a factor across the sum or difference of two other factors.
This property is handy when we want to break down a more complicated multiplication problem.
Let's look at an example:
- 4 x (3 + 2)
We can use the Distributive Property to rewrite this expression as:
- (4 x 3) + (4 x 2)
Now we can simplify each of these products separately:
- 12 + 8 = 20
Using the distributive property, we can figure out that the original problem 4 x (3 + 2) — is equivalent to 20.
What Is the Identity Property of Multiplication?
The identity property of multiplication lets you simplify multiplication problems involving the number 1. When we multiply any number by 1, the product is the same as the original number!
Let's say we have the problem 5 x 1. When we apply the identity property, we know that the product of 5 and 1 is 5 itself, since 1 is the multiplicative identity!
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Array Match-Up Activity for 3rd Grade
Challenge your students to create sets of arrays, multiplication facts and products with this matching game for 3rd grade.
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Multiplication Using Arrays Worksheet
Encourage your students to practice multiplication using arrays with this 2-page worksheet that guides them to build arrays and write them as multiplication sentences.
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Mystery Pattern Grids – Multiplication
Students solve multiplication facts, interpret coordinate planes, and draw shapes to reveal a mystery picture.
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Roll and Multiply Interactive Activity
Teach your students the multiplication strategy of repeated addition using this colorful interactive dice game!
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Skip Counting by 2,3,4,5 and 10 Board Game
Have students correctly answer problems involving skip counting and multiplication to be the first to lay down 4 game pieces in a row!
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Fact Family Safari (Multiplication and Division) Interactive Resource
Go on a colorful safari adventure with your students and help them solve interactive challenges whilst learning about multiplication and division fact families!
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Number Talks - Making Ten Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 20 task cards.
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Multiplication Color By Number Worksheet - Kangaroo
Hop your way through multiplication mastery with a multiplication color-by-number worksheet.
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2-Digit Multiplication Tarsia Puzzle — Basketball-Themed
Practice multiplying two-digit by two-digit numbers with a basketball-themed tarsia puzzle for 4th or 5th grade.
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Prime Factorization – Google Slides Interactive Activity
Determine the prime factorization of a number with this set of interactive activities.
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Whole Number Operations – Math Mats
Strengthen computation skills with these math mats when reviewing how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers.
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5th Grade Whole Number Operations Assessment
Asses student understanding of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers with this math assessment.
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3-Digit by 2-Digit Multiplication Worksheet
Sharpen computation skills by solving 3-digit by 2-digit multiplication problems.
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Multiplication With Arrays Teaching Slides
Teach your students how to connect multiplication with arrays with this 16-slide teaching presentation.
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Fall Task Cards - Factor Pairs
List the factor pairs of each product card with this fall math center.
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Factor Pairs – Task Cards
List the factor pairs of each product with this set of 24 task cards.
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Missing Digit Multiplication - Interactive Activity
Encourage critical thinking with this missing digit multiplication activity.
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Mixed Operations Minute Math Booklet (Higher-Level Version)
Incorporate this mental math drills booklet into your math lesson warm-up (or assessment) routine.
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Math Mazes (Multiplication and Division)
Solve these mazes by manipulating numbers using multiplication and division skills.
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Multiplication Mystery Picture (Ice Cream)
Use the color-coded multiplication guide to complete the grid and reveal a mystery picture.
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Multiplication and Division Word Problem Task Cards (Facts 1-12)
Use a range of strategies to solve multiplication and division problems for times tables facts 1-12.
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Multiplication and Division Word Problems Task Cards (Facts of 2, 5, and 10)
Use a range of strategies to solve multiplication and division problems with 2, 5, and 10 times tables.
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Color by Number - Multiplication Facts of 8
Throw out your boring fact practice and replace it with this color by number worksheet!
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Color by Number – Repeated Addition
An engaging activity to prepare students for understanding the concept of multiplication.
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Color by Number - Multiplication Facts of 6
An engaging activity to consolidate your students' understanding of multiplication facts.
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Problem Solving - Multiplication and Division Worksheet
Practice solving word problems using one-step division and multiplication.
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Multiplication and Division Minute Math Booklet
Warm-up (or assess) with this 10-page booklet of multiplication and division drills.
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Multiplication and Division Worksheets – Facts of 10
A set of worksheets to help students develop fast and accurate recall of the facts of 10.
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Crazy Boxes – Multiplication Facts of 4, 6, 7, and 8
Create a color pattern using multiplication facts of 4, 6, 7, and 8 with this color by number worksheet.
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Crazy Boxes – Multiplication Facts of 9
Create a color pattern using multiplication facts of 9 with this color by number worksheet.
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Crazy Boxes – Multiplication Facts of 3
Create a color pattern using multiplication facts of 3 with this color by number worksheet.
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Crazy Boxes – Multiplication Facts of 10
Create a color pattern using multiplication facts of 10 with this color by number worksheet.