LESSON PLAN

Multiplication and Division of Multi-Digit Numbers

Apothem Team

Grade 4 · Computational Fluency

LESSON AT A GLANCE

Warm-up

5 min

Explore

15 min

Consolidate

10 min

Practice

12 min

Exit ticket

3 min

Warm-up

Show 6x4=24 on an area model (6 wide, 4 tall, 24 squares). Now show 6x40: same height, ten times wider, 240 squares. Extend: 6x43 = 6x40 + 6x3 = 240+18 = 258. Students can see the breakdown happening visually.

Explore

Area model station: students solve 4 two-digit-by-one-digit problems using area models on grid paper, colouring each partial product a different colour. Then solve the same problems using mental math. Are answers the same? Which method is clearer?

Consolidate

Practice

Students solve 4 two-digit-by-one-digit and 2 three-digit-by-one-digit problems using area models, plus 4 division problems using chunking. Exit ticket: use the area model to solve 8x47.

Exit ticket

Students solve 4 two-digit-by-one-digit and 2 three-digit-by-one-digit problems using area models, plus 4 division problems using chunking. Exit ticket: use the area model to solve 8x47.

TIP The area model is the most important representation for multi-digit multiplication. Use it consistently before introducing any column algorithm.

WORKED EXAMPLES

Calculate 7 x 64 using the distributive property.

64 = 60 + 4. 7x60=420. 7x4=28. 420+28=448.

Divide 312 by 8 using chunking.

8x30=240. 312-240=72. 8x9=72. Total: 30+9=39. So 312/8=39. Check: 39x8=312. Correct.

MATERIALS

•Grid paper for area models

•Base-ten blocks

•Multiplication strategy anchor chart

•Real-world context cards (camping, sharing)

WATCH FOR

!Students may not apply the distributive property correctly: 7x64 treated as 7x6 + 4 rather than 7x60 + 7x4. Ensure students decompose into tens and ones properly.

!Students may not check division answers with multiplication. Build this habit explicitly: always verify division with a multiplication check.