Last summer I discovered the multiplication of large numbers with caps thanks to Malena of Learning Mathematics, and we practiced it on several occasions at home.
Is a way very creative and fun that allows children to understand multiplications, and it is that all the children are not satisfied 'only' to learn by heart the tables, so sometimes parents must 'go one step further'. For example, I have a son who had no difficulty memorizing them, however he gets bored with the monotony of mathematical calculations, it is good for someone to worry about encouraging his imagination and his expectations regarding learning.
I sense that the girl will not find it so easy to learn the tables 'by heart', and that is also a reason to perform this activity that is as simple as it is entertaining.
Necessary materials:
- Blue, green, red and white colored caps, an A3 size card, colored markers that contrast with the cardboard tone.
They will not tell you about getting, and more in these times, in which many families collect plastic caps at home to collaborate with solidarity causes
Malena has been inspired by Marcel Bösch, and in fact by reviewing an old post we wrote about the latter's workshops, I have realized that the cover illustration is a multiplication board with caps.
He tells us that has tried to respect the 'Montessorian' colors: units in green, tens in blue, hundreds in red and thousands units in white (this is an exception to the colors of the Montessori material).
Process
It is very easy, you will see: a card is drawn on the cardboard coordinate graph representing the factors to multiply. On the other hand in rectangular pieces of paper the multiplication is written (for example 22 x 61), and on the other hand the result, with the slogan of not turning over until the caps have been counted.
On the sides of the graph the caps that symbolize the factors are placed (The 22 are two blue and two green caps, the 61 six blue caps and one green). Then it is a matter of calculating the results and transforming them.
That is, each plug of the vertical coordinate is multiplied by the horizontal ones that correspond to it (or vice versa) and the results are 'recorded' with other caps. The result of multiplying a dozen plug by another equal is one hundred, so that at the intersection a red color is placed.
Looking at the illustrations you will probably understand it better, and the last step is to count (add) all the plugs that remain inside, and Check if the result is the same as the one on the back of the card.
I think it is important not to think that this method replaces the tables, although it does automate the multiplication process, and develops a way of thinking about them that can simplify the process when children face this calculation. In addition, and in my opinion, it is that the child participates very actively, and that is always good because in addition to reinforcing learning, it gives them autonomy.
