Checker Board Activity Set
Exercise cards with divider tabs in a wooden box, extending the checker board. The board is where long multiplication is done by laying partial products into a grid, and the reason it works is that the grid does the place keeping a child would otherwise have to hold in their head. What it needs is problems long enough to be worth setting up, and these cards supply them graded, so a child is not choosing between one they can already do and one that will defeat them. Checker board sold separately. Wood and laminated cardstock, for ages 3 to 12.
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'”
The Checker Board Activity Set transforms abstract multiplication into tangible exploration through color-coded cards and systematic arrangement.
- Understanding multiplication as repeated addition through physical arrangement
- Recognizing patterns in multiplication tables through color coding
- Developing systematic problem-solving approaches
- Building memory of multiplication facts through repetitive practice
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In Montessori mathematics, the checker board serves as a crucial bridge between concrete manipulatives and abstract number operations, allowing children to physically construct multiplication problems while seeing patterns emerge. The wooden storage box reflects the importance of order and precision in mathematical thinking, each card has its place, just as each number has its position in the decimal system. The laminated activity cards invite repeated practice without deterioration, acknowledging that mathematical understanding develops through numerous encounters with the same concept. By manipulating these color-coded cards on the checker board grid, children discover multiplication as repeated addition, recognize number patterns, and internalize the commutative property through their own hands-on discoveries. The visual representation of products through physical placement allows young mathematicians to verify their work independently, building confidence alongside computational skills.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place the checker board on a work mat. Arrange color-coded number cards in the wooden box by category. Ensure adequate workspace for laying out problems.
- 1
Select a multiplication problem from the activity cards
Start with single-digit multipliers for initial success - 2
Place the multiplicand cards vertically along the left edge
Use consistent color coding to reinforce place value - 3
Place multiplier cards horizontally along the top edge
Leave space between cards for clear visualization - 4
Fill in the grid with product cards at intersections
Work systematically from left to right, top to bottom - 5
Add diagonal products to find the final answer
Use finger tracing to show the addition pattern
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
Brands used by
schools worldwide
European brands
AMI
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