Small Bead Frame: Multiplication with a One-Digit Multiplier

Age
6-7.

Materials

 * Bbead frame
 * Small form

Presentation

 * 1) To isolate the difficulty of decomposing the multiplicand, we begin with a static multiplication.
 * 2) From then on the child will work with dynamic problems.
 * 3) 2321 x 3 Write the problem on the left side of the form.
 * 4) The first thing we must do is to decompose the multiplicand.
 * 5) "There are how many units?" 1, write 1 on the right side under units.
 * 6) All of this we must multiply by 3.
 * 7) On the bead frame, perform the multiplication.
 * 8) 1 x 3 = 3, move forward three units beads.
 * 9) 2 x 3=6, but 6 what? 6 tens! Move forward 6 ten beads, etc. (By this time the child should have memorized the combinations and should bring forward the product of the small multiplication)
 * 10) Read the product and record it on the left side of the form.
 * 11) Try a dynamic multiplication
 * 12) 2463 x 4 Decompose the multiplicand in the same way as before.
 * 13) Perform the multiplication 3 x 4 = 12, 12 is 2 units and 1 ten...6 x 4 = 24, 24 what? 24 tens 4 tens and 2 hundreds, etc.
 * 14) Read the product on the frame and record it.

Purpose

 * To help the child understand the importance of the position of each digit.

Variation

 * 1) Try performing any one of these multiplications out of order, i.e. 6 x 4 = 24 tens, 2 x 4 = 8 thousands, 3 x 4 = 12 units and 4 x 4 = 16 hundreds. The product is still the same.