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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3-Digit by 2-Digit Multiplication Task Cards
Practice solving vertical 3-digit by 2-digit multiplication problems with this set of 18 task cards.
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Mixed Operations Minute Math Booklet (Lower-Level Version)
Jump into your math lessons with this ten-page mental math booklet covering the four operations and number patterns.
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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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Factor Pairs – Worksheet
Find factor pairs through 100 with this math worksheet.
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Color by Number - Multiplication Facts of 3
Get your students practicing their facts of 3 with this color by number worksheet.
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Fill the Grid Active Game
An active game that allows students to practice their multiplication facts.
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Multiples of 11 Poster
A poster showing the multiplication facts of 11.
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Multiples 1 to 12 - Poster
Multiplication facts from 1 to 12 on one poster.
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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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Multiplication and Division Money Word Problems Worksheets
Create equal groupings to solve real-world scenarios with our multiplication and division money word problems worksheets.
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Factors and Multiples Worksheet and Flowchart
Download this factors and multiples worksheet and flowchart to give your students a systematic way to use divisibility rules to discover the factors 1-10.
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Factors and Multiples Game — "Cave of the Tides" Escape Room
“Escape” the ordinary with this factors and multiples game that will engage your students in math review as they search for a secret tunnel.
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Greatest Common Factor Worksheets
Download our greatest common factor worksheets for varied practice finding the GCF of two and three digit numbers.
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Divisibility Rules Worksheet Set
Use this divisibility rules worksheet set to give your students varied practice finding the factors of given numbers.
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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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Multiplication as Repeated Addition PowerPoint
Teach multiplication as repeated addition with this easy-to-use PowerPoint presentation.
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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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Least Common Multiple Worksheet
Share this lowest common multiple worksheet with your students to give them varied practice with this foundational concept.
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Strip Diagrams (Bar Model) Poster Pack
Help your students solve problems using the four operations with a pack of printable strip diagrams anchor charts.
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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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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 Worksheets for 4th Grade
Teach your students how to determine factors and the product of an area model with this worksheet pack.
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Area Model Multiplication – Color by Number Worksheet Pack
Download this color-by-number worksheet pack for your students to practice using the area model when multiplying multi-digit numbers.
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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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Equal Groups Multiplication Worksheets
Reinforce how to relate equal group models and multiplication with this printable worksheet pack.
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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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Number Talks – Multiplication Representation Task Cards
Help your students discover different ways to represent multiplication with this set of number talk cards.
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Introduction to Multiplication Strategies Teaching Slides
Introduce your students to different multiplication strategies such as arrays, equal groups, repeated addition and skip counting with this 34-page slide deck.
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Large Multiplication Chart (Blank)
Use this 4-page blank multiplication chart to teach your students about finding products, multiples and number patterns.
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I Have, Who Has? – Multiplication Representations
Use this whole-class game to reinforce your students’ understanding of the different representations of multiplication.
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Desk-Sized Multiplication Charts for Students
Download 4 desk-size multiplication charts so every student can keep their own chart handy!