Making Algorithms Meaningful

Introduction
Text Box: Many teachers report that students have a variety of difficulties learning and implementing the standard multiplication algorithm. Take a second to reflect on mistakes that you have seen students make. Some of the common errors teachers have reported include: confusion about which number to “carry” and which number to “write down”, confusion about zeros used as place holders (or why we teach children to “move over”). The reason for these confusions is that there is no understanding of why we do these conventions, and where they come from. They are seen as just a series of rules to remember. In this activity, you will explore several models for multiplication based on place value understanding. These include Using base 10 blocks to model multiplication scenarios Using the partial products algorithm to represent numbers Extending the partial products algorithm to grid and area models