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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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 2
A set of worksheets to help students develop fast and accurate recall of the facts of 2.
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Number Talks - Multiplication Facts Task Cards
Build multiplication fact fluency with this set of 24 task cards.
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Crazy Boxes – Multiplication Facts of 4
Create a color pattern using multiplication facts of 4 with this color by number worksheet.
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Number Talks - Making Numbers Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 20 task cards.
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Crazy Boxes – Multiplication Facts of 2
Create a color pattern using multiplication facts of 2 with this color by number worksheet.
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Multiplication Mouse – Worksheet
The multiplication mouse is scurrying in with three differentiated worksheets.
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Basic Multiplication and Division Word Problem Task Cards
21 word problem task cards to use when learning to differentiate between and model multiplication and division situations.
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Multiples of 2 Poster
A poster showing the multiplication facts of 2.
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Multiplication or Division? Problem Solving Cards
20 multiplication and division problem solving cards.
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Ten Add Bowling Active Learning
A whole class active game that encourages learning through a physical setting.
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Multiplication Facts Bookmarks
A bookmark displaying multiplication facts 1 to 12.
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Mathematics Vocabulary Posters
A teaching resource to help students identify the associated vocabulary for mathematical operations.
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Multiplication and Division Fact Matchup Cards - Multiples of 4
A set of multiplication and division fact matchup cards for multiples of 4.
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Multiplication Gears Worksheet - Multiplication Facts of 6
A worksheet to use when learning the multiplication facts of six.
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0 – 12 Multiplication Facts – Star Matchup Cards (Reversed)
A set of matchup cards to practice their multiplication facts.
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Multiplication Facts PowerPoint - Nine Times Tables
A 28-slide PowerPoint to use when learning about multiplication.
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Rounding to Estimate Worksheet Set
Use our rounding to estimate worksheet set to sharpen number sense and mental math skills.
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Estimation Activity: Estimating Space Worksheet Set
Use this estimation activity to give your students practice estimating space, converting measurements, and problem solving.
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Divisibility Rules Chart
Hang our Divisibility Rules Chart in your classroom to give students a quick and easy reference for the rules of divisibility.
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Fact Family Arrays Match-Up Game
Play this fact family arrays matching game with your students to give them practice identifying multiplication and division fact families.
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Arrays and Repeated Addition Interactive Task Cards
Use our arrays and repeated addition interactive task cards to introduce multiplication in a way your learners will more easily understand.
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Dividing and Multiplying by Multiples of 10 Interactive Task Cards
Practice dividing and multiplying by multiples of 10 with this engaging interactive task card activity.
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Dividing and Multiplying by Powers of 10 Game
Play this dividing and multiplying by powers of 10 game to give students practice multiplying and dividing whole numbers by 10, 100, and 1,000.
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Multiply and Divide by Powers of 10 Worksheet Set
Share this multiply and divide by powers of 10 worksheet set to give your students practice multiplying and dividing whole numbers by 10, 100, and 1,000.
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Multiplying by Powers of 10 Worksheet Set
Use our multiplying by powers of 10 worksheet set to give your students practice multiplying whole numbers by 10, 100, and 1,000.
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Multiplying and Dividing by Powers of 10 Anchor Chart Set
Display our multiplying and dividing by powers of 10 anchor chart set in your classroom for an easy reference for students learning operations with powers of 10.
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Number Patterns 4th Grade Worksheet Set
Use this number patterns 4th grade worksheet set to give your students practice with multiplication and division number patterns.
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ELA & Math Toolkit Desk Mats - Upper Grades
Use our printable ELA and Math Toolkit Desk Mats to give your students easy access to key reading, writing, and math concepts.
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Multiplication Fact Rockets
Display these multiplication facts anchor charts in your classroom to help your students recall these valuable number facts.
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Pizza Math Fact Fluency Tracker
Motivate and inspire students to learn their math facts with printable math fact fluency trackers.
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Donut You Love Arrays? Interactive Task Cards
Help your students relate multiplication facts and arrays with this set of 24 interactive task cards.