Objective: 

Students will practice multiplying and dividing within 100 by playing a card game that reinforces the relationship between multiplication and division. The game will involve pairs of students creating multiplication and division fact cards and using conditional rules to check answers and continue play. This lesson integrates the concept of control structures by simulating events and conditionals through a real-life game.

Materials Needed: 

• Index cards

• Markers

• Multiplication and division fact tables

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin by reviewing the relationship between multiplication and division (e.g., knowing 6 × 7 = 42 helps solve 42 ÷ 7 = 6). 

  • Explain that today, students will play a card game to reinforce these facts, similar to a computer program using loops and conditionals to repeat and check answers.

• Group Activity:

  • In pairs, students will create multiplication and division cards by writing multiplication facts on one side of each card (e.g., 9 × 5) and the answer on the back (45). 

  • Each player will take turns drawing a card and answering the fact on the card. 

  • If they answer correctly, they keep the card; if not, the card is placed back in the deck, simulating a “conditional” in programming where an event happens only if the condition (correct answer) is met.

• Game Loop: 

  • Students continue the game until all the cards have been answered correctly, reinforcing fluency through repetition, just as a loop in a program repeats a sequence until a condition is met.

• Reflection and Discussion: 

  • After playing, lead a discussion on how repeating multiplication facts in this game mirrors how loops work in computer programs to repeat steps until a task is completed.

Equity and Access: 

Provide pre-made fact cards for students who need additional support and allow them to work in pairs or small groups to ensure collaboration and reinforcement of skills.

Real-World Application: 

Discuss how conditionals and loops in programming mirror real-life decision-making, such as repeating a task until it is done correctly, just like in the card game.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify how multiplication and division facts relate, recognizing the steps needed to solve these problems fluently.

• Communicating About Computing: Students explain how conditionals in the game determine whether a player keeps or returns a card, linking this to real-life problem-solving processes.

Standard(s): 

• CA CCSS for Mathematics 3.OA.7

• CA CS 3-5.AP.12

Objective: 

Students will create a multiplication quiz game using a coding platform such as Scratch, where the program asks multiplication problems, checks the player’s answer using conditionals, and uses loops to repeat the game until all questions are answered correctly. This lesson integrates computer science concepts by having students incorporate events, loops, and conditionals into their program.

Materials Needed: 

• Tablets or computers

• List of multiplication facts within 100

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Review basic multiplication facts and explain how conditionals (if statements) are used in coding to check if an answer is correct. 

  • Introduce the Scratch platform and explain that students will create a quiz game where the program asks a multiplication question, checks the answer, and loops to ask another question until the game is completed.

• Group Activity: 

  • In pairs, students will open a coding platform and begin building their quiz game. 

  • They will create a sequence where a multiplication problem is displayed (e.g., “What is 7 × 8?”) using the “say” block. 

  • Students will then add conditionals so that if the answer is correct, the game congratulates the player and moves on to the next question; if incorrect, it gives a message and loops back to the question.

• Adding Loops and Events: 

  • Students will program their game to include a loop that asks a set number of multiplication questions. 

  • They will add a "Play Again" event where a green button restarts the quiz or a red button ends the game.

• Testing and Refining: 

  • After coding their games, students will test them to ensure the conditionals work correctly and that the loop repeats as expected. 

  • They will refine the game by adjusting the difficulty or adding more questions.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Each group will present their game to peers, demonstrating how the game checks answers using conditionals and how loops ensure the quiz continues until all questions are answered.

Equity and Access: 

Provide pre-made templates with basic code for students who need additional guidance. Pair students with varying levels of coding experience to encourage peer support.

Real-World Application: 

Discuss how loops and conditionals in programming are used to create interactive games and applications, helping computers perform repetitive tasks and check for specific outcomes.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students create a functioning multiplication quiz game using events, loops, and conditionals to control the flow of the program.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students test their programs and refine them by ensuring the conditionals and loops work properly, mirroring the testing process in real-world coding.

Standard(s): 

• CA CCSS for Mathematics 3.OA.7

• CA CS 3-5.AP.11

• CA CS 3-5.AP.17