Now That's a Problem

Students will improve multiplication skills by skip counting and creating their own multiplication word problems.

Engage

Introduce the concept of skip counting to your students. Explain that skip counting is another way to multiply.

Once the students have an understanding of skip counting, read Bunches and Bunches of Bunnies by Louise Mathews and assign the Bunches of Bunnies activity to have students write their own version of this story.

Bunches of Bunnies Activity

Next, have students practice identifying numbers in pictures and writing multiplication word problems.

Create

Let students know they will create their own two-page multiplication word problem project.

Have students start with a blank page and add a text box to type the word problem. Students can use the Image Library and Stickers tab in Wixie to find images for their multiplication problems.

Blank Template

Then, have students select the Arrow tool, go to the Edit menu, and choose Duplicate to create a second copy of their page. Now they simply have to add the answer instead of recreating their page.

Share

Once the students have completed their problems, it's time to utilize their efforts. Print the projects as a table tent, which can be easily folded and displayed on students desks. Then, have students walk around the room and solve the problems they find, checking their work using the answer on the backside.

Resources

Matthews, Louise. Bunches and Bunches of Bunnies. ISBN: 0590447661

Napoli, Donna J. and Richard Tchen. Corkscrew Counts: A Story About Multiplication. ISBN: 0805076646

Math Standards

Number & Operations in Base Ten Standard

2.NBT.2. Count within 1000; skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s.

3.NBT.3. Multiply one-digit whole numbers by multiples of 10 in the range 10-90 (e.g., 9 x 80, 5 x 60) using strategies based on place value and properties of operations.