Taming the MULTIPLICATION Monster!
Math Concept: Dr. Marty Epstein wrote this book about understanding multiplication & learning multiplication facts because she noticed many students aren't learning their multiplication facts. This can impact their ability to master other math concepts and procedures, and mastery of math concepts and procedures can impact a student's future options. While memorizing the multiplication table certainly works for some students, most multiplication facts can be learned by understanding multiplication, using the math children already know, and learning a few fun patterns. So let's help our early-math learners tame the Multiplication Monster and in doing so build their understanding of math, enhance their number sense, make math more fun, and lay a strong foundation for the math that's around the corner like division, fractions, as well as multiplication and division with fractions. By truly understanding multiplication, division as well as multiplication and division with fractions become very understandable and not scary at all!
Recommendation: Even if a child has already memorized their multiplication facts (or is likely to have no issue doing so), this is still a great book to review with your child. Why? Because this book focuses on understanding multiplication, and understanding multiplication is key for understanding the math that is right around the corner. If a child truly understands multiplication, multiplication by a fraction (e.g., 1/2 x 6) will make sense, too. If a child truly understands multiplication, division will make a lot more sense. And if a child truly understands division, division by a fraction (e.g., 6 ÷ 1/2), will make sense, as well. So even if a child has memorized their multiplication facts, make sure they truly understand multiplication. That's what Taming the MULTIPLICATION Monster is all about!
Practice Activities: Practice is important for new learning to be mastered and to feel "automatic." This book not only works to build understanding and to show how we can use our understanding of multiplication to learn many multiplication facts, but the book also provides lots of opportunities to practice, practice, practice.