Multiplication Rocks!

The following article is from Math and Reading Help Online at http://mathandreadinghelp.org/multiplication_word_problems_third_grade.html.  It gives some great suggestions on working on the concept of multiplication at home.  In school we are working on memorizing our basic multiplication facts (0-10), multiplication and division families (2x3= 6, 3x2=6, 6 divided by 3 = 2, and 6 divided by 2=3), and word problems using multiplication and division. 

"Multiplication Word Problems for Third Grade Students

Memorizing multiplication facts can present a challenge for some third graders, and applying those facts to word problems can be even tougher. You can help your child build his or her multiplication skills by working on word problems at home. Keep reading for sample word problems and tips on creating your own.

How to Create Word Problems for Third Graders

Word problems can provide your child extra practice with multiplication facts, and they can be a fun way to apply math skills to real-world situations. When developing word problems for your child to complete at home, try to keep the language and sentence structure simple since some students get distracted by unnecessary information. Encourage your child to concentrate on the numbers provided instead of the story behind the problem.
If your child's class is just beginning to learn multiplication, formulate practice problems that require only one or two steps to solve, and use simple multiplication facts. However, if your child needs a challenge, you can include multiple steps and harder multiplication problems.

Word Problems

On Paper

1. A slice of pizza costs $2. If Eric wants 3 slices, how much will he spend?
2. Jackie has 4 boxes of chips in the pantry. Each box has 9 mini-bags of chips. How many bags of chips are there?
3. Rob has 4 siblings. Each child in his family (including Rob) owns 7 shirts. How many shirts are there in total?
4. Pedro chews 2 sticks of gum each day. After a week (7 days), how many sticks of gum has Pedro chewed?
For a challenge, try including one or more problems that require multiple steps to solve. For instance, in the following problems, your child will need to use multiplication, as well as addition.
5. Chrissy bought 2 lollipops for $1 each and 4 chocolate bars for $2 each. How much did Chrissy spend in all?
6. Sam and his 2 sisters go to the ice cream parlor. A milkshake costs $2, and an ice cream cone costs $3. If Sam wants an ice cream cone, and each of his sisters wants a milkshake, how much will they spend altogether?

In Daily Life

Take your child to the store with you, and use the trip as a way to apply multiplication in the real world. For instance, if each apple costs 50 cents, and you buy 5 apples, have your child determine how much you will spend in total. These questions can be more difficult for your child because prices aren't always whole numbers; however, it can be a fun challenge."