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!
- Plus Plan
Multiplication Facts PowerPoint - Three Times Tables
A 28-slide PowerPoint to use when learning about multiplication.
- Plus Plan
Factors, Multiples, and Divisibility Rules Interactive Task Cards
Explore factors, multiples, and divisibility rules with these interactive task cards.
- Plus Plan
Classroom Number Line to 100 - Including Factors
Help your students as they learn about number sense and factors with this Classroom Number Line to 100.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication and Division Puzzles
Incorporate multiplication and division puzzles that help students build fluency with the 2× facts and related ÷2 facts.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication and Division Fact Families Teaching Slides
Introduce your students to multiplication and division fact families with this 36-slide teaching slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Rounding to Estimate Worksheet Set
Use our rounding to estimate worksheet set to sharpen number sense and mental math skills.
- Plus Plan
Estimation Activity: Estimating Space Worksheet Set
Use this estimation activity to give your students practice estimating space, converting measurements, and problem solving.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication Equal Groups Worksheets
Share these multiplication equal groups worksheets with your students to give them practice modeling and solving multiplication problems.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication Puzzles - Tarsia with Answers
Practice multiplication facts with these fun printable multiplication puzzles.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Divisibility Rules Worksheet Set
Use this divisibility rules worksheet set to give your students varied practice finding the factors of given numbers.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication Division Fact Family Interactive Task Cards
Use our digital multiplication division fact family task cards to give your students practice with arrays and basic facts.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Least Common Multiple Worksheet
Share this lowest common multiple worksheet with your students to give them varied practice with this foundational concept.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Slider Set
Break out this place value slider set for a hands-on way to demonstrate multiplying and dividing whole numbers and decimals by powers of ten.
- Plus Plan
1 & 2-Step Story Problems With Multiplication and Division - Interactive Game
Practice solving one and two step story problems and have fun with our Multiplication and Division Word Problems Interactive Game.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication and Division Bingo
Practice fact families with our multiplication and division bingo resource that offers two different ways to play!
- Free Plan
Multiplication Fact Charts - Student Sized (4 per page)
Help your students master multiplication facts with printable Mini-Multiplication Charts for multiplying numbers by 1-12.
- Plus Plan
Math Word Problem Match-Up Game - Basic Multiplication and Division
Practice reading, writing, and solving basic multiplication and division word problems with a matching activity.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication Fact Rockets
Display these multiplication facts anchor charts in your classroom to help your students recall these valuable number facts.
- Plus Plan
Pizza Math Fact Fluency Tracker
Motivate and inspire students to learn their math facts with printable math fact fluency trackers.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Area Model Multiplication Small Group Activity
Review multiplication using the area model with this small group activity.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Donut You Love Arrays? Interactive Task Cards
Help your students relate multiplication facts and arrays with this set of 24 interactive task cards.
- Plus Plan
Multiplying With Equal Groups – Small Group Bingo
Download this multiplication bingo game to help students understand the concept of using equal groups.
- Plus Plan
Using Equal Groups to Multiply – Interactive Mystery Picture
Review with your students how to match equal group models and multiplication facts with this interactive mystery picture activity.