Teaching my third graders their multiplication facts is one of the toughest things that I teach every year. One of my favorite activities to use with my class is multiplication fact fluency wheels. These wheels are a lot of fun to make for students and they can save them to practice their facts. We make a different one for every fact family. In this post I will be showing how we assemble and use these fact wheels in my class. There will also be a link for getting one for free to try with your students.
How to use these in class:
In my third grade class we introduce our multiplication unit around September to our students. Then each week we highlight a different fact family. On Fridays we create the multiplication wheel for that fact family as a fun Friday activity during math class. The students practice with their fact wheels with a partner. After that they add the new wheel to a large Ziploc bag collection so they can continue to practice with them at home.
I have also used these wheels as a multiplication fact fluency station in the past. You can have prepared wheels that they use, or they can create them in the station.
The first thing I do before we make them is decide how I want to print them.
Printing options:
1. Colored clip art version - If you choose this option they can be laminated and used repeatedly in a station. When you assemble them you may need to use an X-Acto knife to help you add the brass fastener.
2. Colored copy or construction paper - I use this option when I do not have time for the students to color them before they are assembled.
3. White copy or construction paper - When I use this option I can allow the students to color them with crayons, colored pencils, or markers before they cut them out.
How to assemble the wheels:
1. The students color the pictures with crayons, markers, or colored pencils. (if needed)
2. Next, cut each wheel out on the solid outside lines.
3. Then cut out the problem opening on the dotted line.
4. Fold the paper a little and cut a slit on the dotted line of the answer window. Then put your scissors in the hole and cut on the dotted line.
5. Fold the solid black line of the answer window back to create an answer flap. Tell the students not to cut off the flap so that they can guess the answer before they look at it.
6. Place the picture wheel on top of the problem wheel. Line up the crosses on the middle of each circle. Then push the brass fastener through both crosses and then open it in the back. (Note: If it is difficult for the fastener to go through both crosses they can poke the fastener through each wheel separately. Then line up the wheels and put the fastener through both holes.)
7. Once the multiplication fact fluency wheels are assembled the students will spin the wheel to show the different multiplication facts in the problem window. Once they say the answer they can check if they are correct by looking under the answer flap.
Where can you get your set?
If you would like to try these with your students you can find the Multiplication 1's facts wheel here for free:
If you decide you want more, the entire set includes a wheel for multiplication facts 1 - 12. There are also 2 review wheels for facts 1 - 5 and a wheel for facts 6 - 10:
Learning the multiplication facts is something my students always need a lot of practice with, and these are a great way to make that practice fun. My students love saving these and practicing with them throughout the year. I hope your students will enjoy them too!
