Resources for Elementary Educators/Primary School Teachers

There are many ways to teach maths concepts in creative ways. In teaching multiplication, for example, maths manipulatives may be used to help students understand concepts better. And, while there are many wonderful professionally-designed resources that you can use, there are also many inexpensive materials that maths teachers can use.

One very useful item from home that teachers can use is the egg carton.

To teach multiplication using “egg carton maths”, collect as many egg cartons as you can (or ask students to bring their own). Egg cartons may be assigned per student or per small group (2 to 3 at the most). As counters, you can use any item that you can find – buttons, marbles, stones, pebbles, leaves, etc.

You can introduce multiplication concepts using the egg carton by teaching students that each section of the egg carton is a way to group items (counters). So, for example, when you ask students to group 3 items in to 3 sections (3 x 3), you can ask them to add up the number of items in their cartons to get the answer.

Best Practice Tips:

1. Introduce the use of the egg cartons by computing multiplication algorithms as a whole class to start with. Once the students show that they are comfortable with the use of the egg cartons and their counters to solve multiplication problems, give them some practice equations to work with independently (or in groups).

2. When doing the multiplication algorithms as a whole class, make sure to write the “number sentence” (4 x 5 = 20) that goes with the word problems (“group 4 items in to 5 sections”).

3. You can use the egg cartons when introducing specific times tables (x2s, x3s, etc). This is a good way to introduce the concept of multiplication being “groups of”. It’s also an interesting way to visually show the relationship of multiplication with addition.

4. “Egg carton maths” may also be used in teaching division computations.

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