Lesson Plan - Eera Paranjape

Topic: Factors and Multiples, Grade 3

Goals:
Goal 1: Students will know how to define a factor and a multiple in their own words. Students
will be able to tell the difference between a factor and a multiple.
Goal 2: Students will know how to figure out the factors of a given number that is appropriate
for their grade level.
Goal 3: Students will know how to figure out the multiples of a given number that is appropriate
for their grade level.

Common Core Standard: 4.OA.B.4

Gain familiarity with factors and multiples. Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range
1–100. Recognize that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. Determine whether a
given whole number in the range 1–100 is a multiple of a given one-digit number. Determine
whether a given whole number in the range 1–100 is prime or composite.

While the Common Core standards list factors and multiples as being introduced in Grade 4, I
have had a great deal of experience working in classrooms in third grade classroom and I believe
that many teachers introduce this topic in third grade in order to provide a good foundation for a
greater understanding of factors and multiples in fourth grade. The common core standards are
incredibly relevant for this lesson. Students will work towards the goal of determining factor
pairs for a whole number in the range 1-100 by doing factor pairs with numbers in the number
range of 1-25 (more advanced students will work with a wider range of numbers). Students will
also work towards the grade 4 standard of determining whether a given whole number in the
range 1–100 is a multiple of a given one-digit number by working on multiples of numbers in the
range 1-15 (more advanced students will work with a wider range of numbers). I hope students
will learn the basics of what a factor and multiple is and will learn factor pairs and multiples of
numbers appropriate for their skill level.

Standards for Mathematical Practice

1) Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
a) Students will learn how to make arrays in order to visualize and contextualize
factors, which will help them solve problems related to factors. When students
receive more difficult questions (as seen in Part 2 of the multiples worksheet and
in the Factors and Multiples activity) they try to synthesize their knowledge in
 order to solve the problem. If students are confused, they will engage in
mathematical conversations with peers and the teacher in order to reach the
correct answer.
2) Attention to precision.
a) Students will be able to use clear definitions of the terms factor and multiple
throughout the lesson, especially when engaging with mathematical conversations
with their peers. They will be able to use the definitions of factor and multiple in
order to justify their answers to questions throughout class.

Warm-Up (5-10 minutes):

- I will ask the class: Does anyone here know what a factor or a multiple is?
- As students share ideas, we will engage in a class discussion about the definitions of a
factor and a multiple until we reach the correct answer.
- This will also be a time where I can answer students’ questions about the terms factor
and multiple and help students who have misconceptions about the terms factor and
multiple.
- I will write the definitions of factor and multiple on the board that my students come to
as a class.
- The definitions should be similar to the definitions that we learned in this class:
- Factor: numbers that can divide another number without a remainder.
- Multiple: a number you get when you multiply two whole numbers together.
- I will ask students to write the definitions in their notebooks.
- I will also provide examples of factors and multiples that students can write in their
notebooks. I will write these examples on the board so students can easily copy the
example into their notebooks.
- Factor example:
- 2 is a factor of 8 because it can divide 8 without any remainders.
- Multiple example:
- 6 is a multiple of 3 because 3 times 2 equals six.
- We will do a couple of example questions as a class before moving on to the instructional
activities.
- Question 1: What is a factor of 15?
- Potential Answers: 3, 5, 15, 1
- Question 2: What is a multiple of 4?
- Potential Answers: 8, 12, 16
- Question 3: What is a factor of 10?
- Potential Answers: 1, 10, 2, 5

Instructional Activities (40 minutes):

Before starting the instructional activities, I will go over some key information so my students
are prepared for the activities. I will project all of this information on the board so my students
can refer to this information if they are confused during the lesson.
 - I will remind students that multiples are always bigger than the original number, while
factors are always smaller than the original number.
- I can tell students struggling with the term “factor” that factors “go into” another number
without a remainder.
- I will make sure to tell students that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors.
- Factors Activity:
- I will tell my students that every number has two factors: the number itself and
one. One can find the factors of a number by thinking: What numbers “goes into”
that number? When two numbers multiplied together equal another number, they
are a factor pair for that number. For example, since 5 and 2 multiplied together
equal 10, 5 and 2 are a factor pair for the number 10.
- Multiples Activity:
- I will tell my students that to find the multiples of a number, they can take the
number and multiply it by 1, 2, 3, and so on. For example, for the number 2, since
2 times 1 equals 2 and 2 times 2 equals 4, 2 and 4 are multiples of 2.

Factors Activity:
Materials required: Graph paper, scissors, pencils.
- In order to make children understand that factors can divide another number with
no remainders and to make sure that every child has a solid understanding of
factor pairs, students will create arrays.
- Students will be put into pairs. Each pair will be created based on skill level, with
children with little to no understanding of factor pairs being paired together and
students with a more advanced understanding of factor pairs being paired
together. Each pair will be assigned three numbers. No pair will get the same
number as another pair. The difficulty of the number will depend on the skill
level of the pair. For example, in a pair with little understanding of factors, they
might get the numbers 4, 6, and 8. However, pairs that are more advanced might
get numbers such as 18, 24, and 35. Furthermore, more advanced pairs will be
asked to come up with more than one factor pair for each number if they have the
time.
- For each number, they will create an array using graph paper and identify the two
factors of the number.
- For example, for the number 12, children can make an array that is 4 by 3 and
identify 4 and 3 as factors of 12.
- I will go around while the children are making the arrays and help them if they
are confused. I will try to devote additional attention to pairs that I know do not
have previous knowledge of factors and factor pairs. Since I will be teaching this
lesson to a group of students that did first and second grade on Zoom, there is a
good chance that some of them do not have previous knowledge of factor pairs,
as I have seen with students in my own practicum this year.
- At the end of the activity, children will do a gallery walk, where they will be able
to see the arrays that their peers made and ask questions if they are confused.
During this activity, they can engage in mathematical conversations with their
peers about factors.
- This activity will help children be able to visualize factors and solidify
 understanding of factors and factor pairs for all students.
Multiples Activity:
Materials required: Worksheet, paper.
- Students will be given a worksheet with four stars on it, and each star has a
number on the top. Students will have to come up with 5 multiples of each
number at the top and write each multiple on the point of one of the stars. This
activity will help cement students’ understanding of multiples, especially for
those who are not familiar with them. The star will also engage students and
make the activity more fun for them to do.
- For the second part of the worksheet, students will be given specific criteria and
will have to figure out possible multiples that fit those criteria. This part of the
worksheet is higher cognitive demand for students.
- Example: I am a multiple of 6. I am in between 20 and 30 (including 30).
What could I be? (3 options)
- For this activity, students will be put into pairs so they can discuss the questions
and engage in mathematical conversations/mathematical thinking. Similar to the
last activity, this activity will be scaffolded so every student feels challenged.
Students will be put into pairs based on their skill level, and the questions that
they receive will have a difficulty level that matches their skill level. There will
be three different worksheets: one for those who are new to multiples, one for
those who have some experience with multiples, and one for those who are very
comfortable with multiples and need to be challenged. The format of the question
will stay the same for all three worksheets but the numbers will change.
- When they are done with the worksheet, students can come up to the front of the
classroom and get their worksheet checked. If they are not correct, I will send
them back to their desks with advice on how to correctly complete it. If every pair
of students cannot complete the worksheet in the given time, we will complete
them tomorrow during class.
- Students who have questions may also come up to the front of the room and ask
me for help. I will also periodically encourage students to come up to me if they
are struggling.

On the next page is an example worksheet for pairs of students who have some previous
experience with multiples.
Multiples Worksheet:

Instructions: For each star, figure out 5 multiples of each number written at the top of the star.
Write each multiple at the point of one of the stars. For example, if the number at the top of the
star said 3, the 5 multiples that you could write on each of the points of the star would be 3, 9,
15, 21, and 30. Try to challenge yourself and don’t simply write the first five multiples of each
number!

Part 1:

5 7

8 11

Part 2:
Instructions: Using your knowledge, figure out the potential multiples that meet the criteria of
the question.
1) I am a multiple of 4. I am in between 10 and 30. What could I be? (5 options)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
2) I am a multiple of 6. I am in between 15 and 30 (including 30). What could I be? (3
options)
a)
b)
c)
3) I am a multiple of 9. I am in between 15 and 30. What could I be? (two options)
a)
b)
4) I am a multiple of 12. I am in between 20 and 30. What could I be? (one option)
a)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Factors/Multiples activity:
- As a class, we will go over factors and multiples to see if students can synthesize the
information they learned in the two previous activities. This will be a preview for
tomorrow’s class, where we will do more practice with questions that require students to
think about factors and multiples.
- We will do questions such as:
1) I’m thinking of a number that is a multiple of 4 and a factor of 36.
a) Answers: 12, 36
2) I’m thinking of a number that is a multiple of 3 and a factor of 12.
a) Answers: 6, 12
3) I’m thinking of a number that is a multiple of 6 and a factor of 24
a) Answers: 12, 24

Lesson Synthesis (5-10 minutes):

- I will ask the class questions to make sure students remember the key parts of the lesson.
- I will ask the following questions:
- What is the definition of a factor?
- Possible answer: A number that can divide another number without a
remainder.
 - What is the definition of a multiple?
- Possible answer: A number you get when you multiply two whole
numbers together.
- How can you determine the factor of a number?
- Possible answer: By thinking about a factor pair that evenly divides the
number.
- How can you determine the multiple of a number?
- Possible answer: By multiplying the number by 1, 2, 3, etc.

Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exit Ticket

Directions: Please complete the following questions to the best of your ability. Do not worry if
you do not know the answer but do your best to answer each question :)

Question #1: Define a fraction in your own words

Question #2: Define a multiple in your own words

Question #3: Name three factors of 16

Question #4: I’m thinking of a number that is a multiple of 4 and a factor of 24. Name one
possible answer.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer Key:
Question #1:
- Possible Answer: A number that can divide another number without a remainder.
Question #2:
- Possible Answer: A number you get when you multiply two whole numbers together.
Question #3:
- Possible Answers: 1, 16, 2, 8, 4
Question #4:
- Possible Answers: 4, 8, 12