Multiplication As Repeated Addition Lesson Plan {FREE Download}

This Hands-On Multiplication as repeated addition lesson plan is perfect for your math rotations for grade 1 and grade 2 students. Your kids will love these fun math printables & Teachers will love the Free lesson plan for teaching early multiplication, arrays & groups.

If you want to help your kids with multiplication and are wondering how to introduce it then you’re in the right place!

According to research, the best way to introduce multiplication is to start by teaching your kids the repeated addition strategy. To help you we have put together a Multiplication as repeated addition lesson plan and printables to get you and your kids started. (It’s at the end of this post).

Introduction to Multiplication

Multiplication is a fundamental concept in mathematics that represents the process of repeated addition. Instead of adding the same number multiple times, multiplication allows us to find the total amount more efficiently. For example, adding 3 four times (3 + 3 + 3 + 3) can be simplified to 3 x 4. This method not only saves time but also helps in solving more complex problems.

Teaching multiplication to students involves helping them understand this concept of repeated addition. By recognising that multiplication means adding equal groups together, students can grasp the idea more easily. This foundational knowledge is crucial as it sets the stage for more advanced mathematical concepts. In this section, we will explore various strategies and activities to make teaching multiplication engaging and effective.

How To Introduce Multiplication

Technically repeated addition isn’t multiplication. It is actually an additive strategy but it is perfect for introducing kids to multiplication because it builds on, the previously taught, addition strategy. Multiplication and repeated addition go hand in hand and make learning so much easier. So if your students are struggling to grasp it then they probably need more time on addition. Without solid additive understanding, students cannot transition successfully into repeated addition and multiplication.

Using the repeated addition process helps kids build the language for multiplication. So give your students plenty of opportunities to use and connect the language of multiplication. They will need hands-on activities that encourage the following ideas:

4 books in a plie, 3 piles, that’s 12 books altogether
3 piles of 4 books means there’s 12 books
3 groups of 4 makes 12 so that’s the same as 4 + 4 + 4 = 12

Multiple opportunities to investigate and explore materials in this type of activity leads students to naturally develop multiplicative thinking. If encouraged to talk about their learning, kids will also develop the language needed for sound multiplicative understanding.

Teaching students repeated addition before arrays, groups of, and multiplication is the difference between a struggling student and a successful one!

Hands-on Activities

Hands-on activities are an excellent way to engage students and help them understand the concept of multiplication as repeated addition. Here are some ideas for hands-on activities that can be used to teach multiplication:

Playdough Equal Groups: Use playdough to create equal groups of objects. Have students count the total number of objects in each group and then find the overall total. This activity helps students visualise equal groups and understand how repeated addition works.
Food Manipulatives: Use food items such as blocks, counting bears, or other manipulatives to create equal groups. Students can then count the total number of objects and write a repeated addition sentence to match their visual. This makes the concept of multiplication tangible and relatable.
Arrays with Blocks: Use blocks to create arrays, which are arrangements of objects in rows and columns. Have students count the total number of blocks in the array. This activity helps students understand the concept of arrays and how they relate to multiplication.
Multiplication War: Play a game of “Multiplication War” where students roll dice and multiply the numbers together. The student with the highest product wins the round. This fun and competitive game reinforces multiplication facts and helps students practice solving multiplication problems.

Visual Aids for Multiplication

Visual aids are an essential tool for teaching multiplication as repeated addition. Here are some ideas for visual aids that can be used to teach multiplication:

Arrays: Use arrays to represent multiplication problems. Arrays can be created using blocks, counters, or other manipulatives. This visual representation helps students see how multiplication is a form of repeated addition.
Number Lines: Use number lines to represent repeated addition. Students can count up the number line to find the total amount. This method provides a clear and linear way to understand multiplication.
Multiplication Charts: Use multiplication charts to help students see the relationship between multiplication and repeated addition. These charts can serve as a reference tool for students as they learn and memorize multiplication facts.
Base-Ten Blocks: Use base-ten blocks to represent multiplication problems. Base-ten blocks can be used to create arrays and help students understand the concept of place value. This visual aid supports the understanding of larger multiplication problems and the structure of numbers.

These visual aids can be used to support hands-on activities and help students understand the concept of multiplication as repeated addition. By incorporating these tools into your lesson plan, you can make the learning process more interactive and effective for students.

Multiplication As Repeated Addition Lesson Plan

Our FREE Lesson plan is an editable PDF that you can change or adapt or use as is. You will need Adobe Reader DC (FREE) to edit it. The lesson plan includes:

Multiplication As Repeated Addition Learning Intentions & Success Criteria

WALT Outcomes – We Are Learning Today:
- Which numbers to add over and over
- When to stop adding
- Use materials, drawings, or number lines to find a solution
- Test the solution works

WILT Outcomes -What I Learnt Today:
- Students explain or show how to use repeated addition to solve problems

Teaching Focus For Multiplication As Repeated Addition Lesson Plan

Use materials to represent multiplication as:

- repeated addition problems and explain using appropriate language (see above)
- ‘groups of’ problems and explain reasoning
- array problems and explain reasoning

Multiplication Lesson Plan

Multiplication, Array & Repeated Addition Printables In Our Shop

Multiplication Strategies KIT Product Image

Skip Counting Classroom Posters image of product

Activities And Printables For Multiplication As Repeated Addition Lesson Plan

Do-A-Dot Repeated Addition Printable. This Repeated Addition As Multiplication Printable is editable so you can create your own number problems for students. You will need the latest version of ADOBE READER DC (FREE) to edit it.

I like to use do-a-dot markers or q tips & paint for this one. The students physically act out the repeated addition sum needed to solve the problem by creating the right number of dots in the right number of rows.

Repeated Addition Free Printable

Brickmath Printable

This bric math printable is a hit with any lego mad kids! Students roll a dice to generate the number of groups and how many are in each group. Next, they select a brick to show it. They write the matching repeated addition number sentence and count everything up to find out how many altogether.

Lego Arrays

Googly Eye Printable

This googly eye printable is also included for free in the multiplication lesson plan. It can be used in a math center if laminated or it looks great as a finished piece of student work displayed in the classroom. Students are given an array statement by the teacher and collect the correct amount of googly eyes. they arrange them into the matching number of rows.

Muffin Tin Arrays

Grab a muffin pan, a chocolate box or some ice cube trays and a pack of multiplication flashcards for this very simple multiplication as repeated addition activity. Students can work with a partner or a small group. They take turns turning over a flashcard and make the array using mini erasers, gems or counters, to match. Great fun!

Multiplication with a muffin tin

Repeated Addition Thinkboard

We just love using a thinkboard with kids. They are a really awesome strategy for helping to find out what kids know and don’t know about almost any topic. We have so many on our website! Our FREE repeated addition thinkboards are excellent and will help your students with Arrays, ‘Groups Of’ and Skip Counting. Click the image to get some for free.

These Repeated Addition thinkboards are not listed in the lesson plan but they can be used as an assessment, as a warm up or in a math center!

Multiplication Think Board

Again this multiplication thinkboard is not in the lesson plan, but easy to use as an assessment or center activity. Click the image to find out how to use it and get it!

DIY Mini Times Tables Books

These DIY Times tables books are my absolute favourite printable for introducing kids to multiplication as repeated addition. With no printing or laminating they are a must! Click the image below to find out more…

Repeated Addition As Multiplication Lesson Plan Free Printable

Click the image below to get the FREE lesson Plan and activities

PSST! If you want to Save time and $$$ on Teaching Resources Join Our VIP Club! Get instant access
To ALL our PAID & FREE Resources Plus 20+ New Activities Every Week! Click The Image Below To Find Out More…