Multiplication Facts Help for 4Th Grader

There is also a video/ DVD by School House Rocks that is called Multiplication and Math Rocks. Its an oldie but a goodie!

Here's a trick that I learned when I was in grade school... way back then...

It's only for the "9's" Multiplication Table and up to 10 being the multiplier.

Example: 9x7 = ??

Hold both your hands up. Starting from Left to Right (both hands with a total of 10 fingers) count to 7 wiggling which finger you are on:

L Pinky (1), L Ring (2), L Middle (3), L Index (4), L Thumb (5), R Thumb (6), R Index (7).

Now, put your 7th finger down (R Index) but keep holding up all the rest. Now, count how many are on the Left side of the 7th finger. There is 6. Now count on the right side of the 7th finger. There is 3. Put them together and you get 63.

Try it!

Hi, my son also hates doing math facts, and we found a game online called Timez Attack that is absolutely great. The deluxe download is $25, but they also have a free version. If your son likes playing video games, he will most likely like this game. It has several different settings like a dungeon, high-tech, etc. You have to solve the multiplication problems to get through the doors to the next part of the game, so it provides incentive to get the answer right. It also keeps track of what your child missed, and keeps bringing those up for him to practice on. If that doesn't work, you can also try aplusmath.com, which is also very cool. Hope this helps!

As a homeschool mom, I have looked through many different ways to "teach" math to kids. Some kids just get it, others need to "see" it first. The best curriculum or math materials (whatever you want to call them) is a program called Math U See. It teaches kids how to "see" math. This is why most kids that aren't gifted in math have such a hard time understanding math in their classrooms. Classroom teaching often doesn't teach kids math in a way that the nongifted kids can understand. Go to the website, www.mathusee.com. He would probably need the Gamma set. If you have any questions or concerns don't hesitate to contact me. ____@____.com

Hey there-

I taught 4th grade, and he should have subtraction facts down well at this point, the multiplication ones aren't as crucial YET. So I would start with subtraction. By december or so, he'll need to know them so he can get prepared for TAKS which has a lot of complicated multiplication. As far as at home, do you work on them together every night??? I know it's really hard to be dedicated!

Try this...teach them in families. If he knows the addition facts (I assume he does), then this will help. Make a poster every week of like two, maybe three families with the facts and their pictures i.e. 4=3=7, 3+4-7, 7-4=3 and 7-3=4 would be one family and hang them on the wall in a place where he'll see them. Every night, have him use beans or m and m's or some other manipulative to show each fact. Then have him say them and write them at the same time, 5 or more times each. Then, have him say them to you once more again. Last, at the end of the week, make up your own timed test. You might ask his teacher how many facts he's expected to do in a 30 sec or even a min. I can't remember how many my kids had to do-I think I had them do like 30-40 in a minute at this point of the year. Using only the facts from that week, make a test. Keep a chart of progress and offer rewards if you're into rewards. This covers most learning modes and may help. He doesn't use Saxon math at his school does he?? That can help too.

As far as free online practice, the best I ever found was a game called fact dash-my kids loved it. Google it, cause I bet the site's changed since I did it a couple of years ago!

Good luck!
R., MEd

Back in the dinosauer ages, when I was a kid, we had to do timed tests on our multiplication tables in school each day, until we knew them by heart. I was shocked when my own daughters reached the 4th grade level and they weren't still doing it. So, we made a game of it while I'd fix dinner in the evenings. I had them go through them once on paper to find out how long it took them....then everytime we'd set the timer, they'd try to beat their time on the last test. It wound up being so much fun. It, also, helped reduce their anxiety of timed tests at school.

A few years ago when I had a couple of school-aged daycare children, I couldn't believe the fact that they had to figure out their multiplication by counting on their fingers. When I quizzed them on a few off the top of their heads, they couldn't tell me any answers. They didn't seem to understand them. Such a shame.

Good luck and God bless....

http://www.missBrenda.com

Ellen,

We are in the same boat!! My brilliant 4th grader hates math, becasue she doesn't know her facts. We have been drilling. Last night I started making her write them 3 times each. Like I started on the 3's yesterday. So she wrote them 3 times each and then I quizzed her, we use a rythm game to help her. When she got some wrong a few times, I had her write them again.

I tried to explain to her that math facts are just like spelling. She can sound out the words and she can figure out the math from somewhere that she knows. It may be doubles, like 3X3. Anyway feel free to contact me directly. Maybe we can chat about it.

Please get in touch with me, maybe you have tried some things that I haven't.

Thanks,
H.

P.S. I am also returning to schoiol after 12 years in manufacturing. I will start in January.

As to the last post.
Never let him use his fingers!
Manipulatives are ok but ONLY if you take them away once he understands the concept he is using them for.
You form different neuropaths for memorization when you use your fingers (and manipulatives) instead of forcing yourself to do it in your mind. Those neuro pathways formed by using your fingers ect. are slower and he will become handicapped by them as he gets older.
(I should know. I learned by using my fingers and I still do it today with multiplication! It is slow and looks ridiculous on an adult!)

Have him sit on his hands while answering problems out loud.

Try Multiplication Raps. I can't think of the name of the 2 guys that did the series, but they did a bunch of math, language and spelling facts and combined them with raps, country and rock music. Studies show that kids will retain subjects better when set to music. Give it a try!
If you can't find them, you can always let him come up with his own.
4th grade was my stumbling block in math. It took me a little while, but I finally got it, he will too!
Good Luck!

I did a google search on it, try this:
http://www.happymath.com/

or just tips here:
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/59089.html

Good luck