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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Halloween Escape Room - The Missing Treat Mystery - Multiplication and Division Facts
Solve the mystery of who stole all the treats from the Halloween Party with an interactive Halloween Escape Room featuring multiplication and division.
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Dot Day Multiplication Tarsia Puzzle
Practice multiplying single-digit numbers and create a masterpiece with a Dot Day tarsia puzzle.
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Skip Counting and Multiplication Matching Game
Use this resource as a hands on-task to practice using skip counting to solve multiplication expressions.
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5th Grade Math Review – Google Slides Interactive Activity
Review important 5th-grade math standards with a student-led interactive activity that covers 12 different mathematical concepts.
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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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5th Grade Math Review – Test Prep Packet
Encourage your students to work through 8 pages of 5th-grade math problems while charting their progress to measure their success.
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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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The Escape From Millbrook Manor – Halloween Escape Room
Practice computation skills by solving puzzles with this differentiated Halloween escape room game.
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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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Color by Number - Multiplication Facts of 6
An engaging activity to consolidate your students' understanding of multiplication facts.
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Multiplication and Division Worksheets – Mixed Facts
A set of worksheets to help students develop fast and accurate recall of math facts.
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Multiplication and Division Work Mat
Practice multiplication and division concepts with this work mat for students.
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Math Mazes – Factors
A set of math mazes that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge of factors.
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Multiplication Facts Master
Help your students track their progress in mastering multiplication facts with this template.
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Multiplication and Division - Which Operation Is It? – Interactive PowerPoint
An interactive 64-slide PowerPoint to use when learning to solve multiplication and division word problems.
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Multiplication Facts PowerPoint - Two Times Tables
A 28-slide PowerPoint to use when learning about multiplication.
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Math Word Problem Task Cards - Multiplication and Long Division
Solve multi-step multiplication and long division word problems with a set of printable math task cards.
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Area Model Multiplication Small Group Activity
Review multiplication using the area model with this small group activity.
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Using the Area Model for Multiplication Interactive Task Cards
Give your students digital practice with area model multiplication by assigning this set of 24 interactive task cards.
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Multiplication With Equal Groups – Color by Number Worksheet
Guide your students to determine a multiplication problem for an equal groups model with this color-by-number worksheet.
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Multiplication as Repeated Addition – Interactive Picture Reveal
Help your students understand the relationship between repeated addition and multiplication with this interactive picture reveal.
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Equal Groups Multiplication Worksheets
Reinforce how to relate equal group models and multiplication with this printable worksheet pack.
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Multiplication as Repeated Addition Worksheet Pack
Strengthen student understanding of multiplication and repeated addition with this worksheet pack designed for 3rd grade students.
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Multiplication on a Number Line Task Cards for 3rd Grade
Extend student understanding of multiplication and number lines with this set of 24 task cards.
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Drawing Arrays Worksheet Pack
Review how to draw an array with your students as they complete this worksheet pack.
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Cut and Paste Array Worksheets
Guide your students to match arrays and multiplication facts with these cut-and-paste worksheets.
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Number Line Multiplication – Worksheet Pack for 3rd Grade
Guide your students to solve number line multiplication problems with this worksheet pack.
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Equal Groups Multiplication Activity
Engage your students with a hands-on activity to practice making equal groups to represent multiplication.
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Multiplication With Models Worksheet
Guide your students to determine the product of single-digit factors with various multiplication models.
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The Case of the Missing Football – Estimating Products Escape Activity for 4th Grade
Uncover the identity of the thief who stole the football with a printable estimating products escape room activity.
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2 and 3-Digit Multiplication Worksheets- Halloween Cut and Paste
Use various strategies to solve 2 and 3-digit multiplication problems with a set of Halloween Multiplication Worksheets.