Multiplication is one of those skills that has to be practiced on repeat! Math centers are an excellent way to keep our students flexing those skills. Whether you’re struggling to come up with ideas for your multiplication centers or are overwhelmed by the planning, I have three ideas for centers that are effective and simple.
1. Task Cards
Task cards are an extremely simple way to provide students with additional practice. Each card has a different problem that students must solve, so students may be asked to apply their skills in various different ways. Task cards can also be used to help students check their own work. Make an answer key for the task cards, and give it to students when you notice they are beginning to finish. They can then review the problems they got incorrect, and figure out where they went wrong.
Don’t want to create your own task cards? Here are my favorite task card sets to use with students.
Multiplication math sentences are my favorite to use in centers. These number sense task cards are written in sentence form (32 is 8 times as much as…). With this task card set, you will have twenty practice problems for students ready-to-go for your next math center! Grab the resource here.
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When I am wanting to practice 3 by 1 multiplication problems, I always use these task cards. This task card set has twenty 3 by 1 math problems. You can easily print these task cards and be ready to go in minutes!
2. Math Sorts
Math sorts are a simple way to add a hands-on element to your math centers. They contain a chart and several cut-out pieces. Students will be given a math problem, for instance, and must sort the answers into the correct location. Math sorts also give students an opportunity to check their own learning. If they solve a math equation and can’t find the answer among the pieces, then they know they have solved the problem incorrectly. They can then attempt the problem again.
I have several multiplication math sorts already created and ready for math centers to make your planning easier! With these math sorts, students are given a multiplication problem, have space to solve the problem, and then locate their answer among the sorts to glue into the chart. You can find the resources here: 3 digit by 2 digital multiplication, 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication, and 2 digit by 1 digit multiplication.
3. Digital Center
If you have technology available for your students, digital centers are a great option. Digital centers are excellent for getting quick data on your students. If you have been practicing a skill for a while, and would like to see where your students are at (or need data to help you form teacher groups), digital is the way to go. Digital stations may look like using a program such as IXL or Education Galaxy. Digital stations can also utilize digital quizzes or activities you have made on Google Forms, Boom Cards, or Quizizz.
