Multiplication is essentially repeated addition, or growing numbers by doubling, tripling, quadrupling, and so on. This unit presents mental models and strategies that help students learn and review the concept of multiplication. Students explore multiplication using arrays, partial products, doubling methods and the standard algorithm to solve numerical and word problems. Students will multiply whole numbers and simple decimals by base ten exponents (i.e. .3 x 103).

Understanding how our ten number system works enables students to see interesting and useful patterns and relationships in these math activities. These patterns allow students to develop more efficient mental math strategies when multiplying by multiples of 10 or 100. Students will also review rounding and apply this skill to larger numbers - up to 100,000’s place.

Students will have a basic understanding of fractions coming into 4th grade. In this unit students will get to explore new ways of representing fractions, including in a set of data, on number lines and using area models. Students will use their knowledge of fractions to compare fractions with like and unlike denominators.

This guided lesson builds upon third graders' understanding of multiplication in order to further develop fluency with this operation. The lesson first reinforces the various strategies for doing multiplication (for example, repeated addition), then teaches kids to apply those strategies within practical exercises. Designed by our team of teachers and curriculum experts, the goal is to provide numerous ways to conceptualize multiplication problems.