If you’re a 4th grade teacher, you know how much time and effort teaching 1-digit multiplication requires. The various strategies and levels of difficulty consume almost a month of the curriculum.
Why not make it fun for YOU and YOUR STUDENTS?
One of my favorite activities involves milk, cookies, and multiplication…need I say more?
Milk and Cookies 1-Digit Multiplication Game
I created this activity with three objectives in mind: differentiate to meet the needs of all students, keep students engaged and motivated, and help me assess their understanding.
What I didn’t expect was how MUCH my students would enjoy it!
To play, spread out the milk and cookies which are labeled with multiplication problems and answers. Give students the task of matching the milk and cookies by completing the multiplication problems.
Differentiated Activity
To differentiate this activity, combine several sets together. For example, when teaching 2-by-1-digit multiplication, include 3-digit questions to challenge your higher students. The same goes for when teaching 3-digit multiplication (include 4-digit problems). Therefore, all students have a difficulty level just right for them.
A major perk is being able to use this resource over the course of several days. Not having to prep a new activity each day will save you much-needed time.
Engage and Motivate Students
Students are extremely motivated to find their milk and cookie matches, especially when they earn an actual cookie after they finish (which I highly recommend). They are excited and ready to work hard when they arrive at the teacher table. The best part is students can use ANY multiplication strategy! This allows them to feel successful and take ownership of their learning.
Assess Student Understanding
Even before students attempt the multiplication problems, you can assess their confidence and understanding by the cards they choose. This allows you to provide extra support to those who need it. In addition, your teacher heart will nearly burst as you witness students overcome challenges and work their way up to more difficult problems.
What makes this activity even more meaningful is the amount of error analysis required. Students who cannot find a match must look back and find their mistakes. They might find an answer that is close but not exact, so it forces them to analyze every part of their work. Getting students to check their work is a struggle, but this activity motivates them to do so.
So what are you waiting for? Make a trip to your local Dollar Store, pick up a box of chocolate chip cookies, and grab this 1-Digit Multiplication Milk and Cookies Matching Game!
In case you’re interested, I have lots of 2-digit multiplication tips too!
Until next time,
Happy Teaching!
P.S. If you need additional ideas for small group activities, I share much more in Episode 13 of Elementary Math Chat! EP 13: 6 Small Group Activities for Every Math Teacher