MEDIA ARTS
PROJECT
Decimal Multiplication
Grade
6
Subject:
Mathematics
Topic
Decimal Multiplication
Lesson Description
Using Base Ten blocks and visual images, students will be involved in hands-on and digital activities that
will lead to a conceptual understanding of decimal multiplication.
Lesson 1
• Prior to the lesson, have one of the following visual aids:
a) Overhead Base Ten blocks, b) Magnetic Base Ten blocks or c) Model of Base Ten blocks. These
can be put up on the board or the overhead projector and easily moved and rearranged.
• Lead the class in a demonstration of the use of Base Ten blocks on the floor, board or overhead
projector, to visualize the multiplication of whole numbers and decimals. Pose a question and ask the
students to use the Base Ten materials on the board to solve the problem. (e.g. 13x12).
• Pose additional multiplication questions and have students model these with Base Ten blocks.
• Discuss where one encounters decimals. A possible list might include money, prices, mass,
measurement of distance, body temperature, measurement of earthquakes, frequency of sound and
pitch, sports and software, etc.
• Now repeat the demonstration of multiplication as represented by a rectangle using a decimal
multiplication equation (e.g. 1.3 x 1.2).
• A visual representation of this process would look like this:
1.3
1 .2
1.3 x 1.2 = 1.56
• Divide the students into groups of two or three and give out the Base Ten materials to explore how
they can be used to multiply decimals.
• Provide a decimal multiplication question for the whole class to do at the same time and demonstrate
with the Base Ten blocks on the chalk-board or overhead projector (e.g. 1.1x1.4).
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MEDIA ARTS
PROJECT
• It is important that the class attempts the task before the teacher shows them how it is done. Allow
time for the students to reflect on their work and come to the understanding that a multiplication of
decimals can be visualized as a rectangle.
• Ask the students to pose their own questions and use the Base Ten blocks to solve them. Encourage
the students to discuss both their questions and strategies with the rest of the class. Make sure the
students understand that small squares can represent 0.01, the length of 10 squares (strip)
represents 0.1 and the 10x10square (flat) represents 1.
• Lead a discussion about the Base Ten blocks and their effectiveness in decimal multiplication. Posing
the right questions and having the students have a mental picture of the operation is very important
Lesson Two
To take place in the computer lab
• Give a demonstration of decimal multiplication reflected by dissecting an image.
• On an overhead projector, place a transparency of an image (images can easily be photocopied onto
acetate for this).
• Using a non-permanent marker, trace around the outside of Base Ten blocks to demonstrate the
multiplication of a particular decimal equation.
• Introduce the students to online Base Ten tools and demonstrate how the Base Ten principal can be
accomplished with digital tools as well at:
http://www.arcytech.org/java/b10blocks/b10blocks.html.
Have the students search the website via a Google search using the terms “arcytech”.
• Once the site is up for each student they can put it on the browser favourites list for future reference
• The students and teachers will work on the computers to manipulate online Base Ten tools to
familiarize themselves with the functions and the format of the website.
• This can be used for a variety of equations using multiplication of decimals.
• Lead a discussion of how the students experienced the Base Ten website.
Lesson Three
• Review the demonstration with the overhead projector and an acetate image. Base Ten blocks will be
placed on top as a reference for tracing a unit of one or decimal one or decimal zero one etc.
• Answer questions about the process of tracing the Base Ten units to reconfirm the steps involved.
• Demonstrate creating a decimal multiplication image by tracing the Base Ten units onto a magazine
picture to represent the question. Show the process of cutting out and glueing down the different
Base Ten units onto a piece of construction paper.
• In groups of two, students will select an image from a magazine and cut out the whole page.
• Using the Base Ten blocks, the students will trace onto the magazine image to reflect a decimal
multiplication question and its corresponding answer.
• After tracing the appropriate Base Ten sections onto the magazine picture, the students will cut them
up and glue them down onto a blank piece of construction paper.
• Lead the students in a presentation of their decimal multiplication magazine images.
Lesson Four
• Introduce the concept of portraiture and self-portrait.
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MEDIA ARTS
PROJECT
• Show examples of how the self-portrait has been used as a form of self-expression as well as
recording a particular moment in that artist’s life.
• Learn how to take digital photographs concentrating on focus, composition and light exposure
techniques.
• Show examples of photographs with strong images. Create a class list of the criteria of visual and
technical elements that contribute to these strong images.
• In small groups, students take digital photographs of each other.
• Download the digital photographs onto the computers.
Lesson Five
• Lead the class to complete the self portrait photography project including downloading of pictures to
the computers.
Lesson Six
To take place in the computer lab
• Introduce the class to the digital tools to separate segments of their pictures to represent a decimal
multiplication operation.
• For the sake of ease in the production of this project, both of the numbers chosen for the decimal
multiplication operation should be less than a value of two.
• Demonstrate the digital techniques in Photoshop Elements to open up digital files, resize them, show
a grid, and make selections of certain areas and to copy and paste those selections into a new
document.
• Have the students work in pairs to accomplish this process with their digital portrait photographs.
Lesson Seven
To take place in the computer lab
• Continue working on the project to completion and print out the ones that are finished
Lesson Eight
• Present one example of a decimal multiplication image from the class and guide the students in
figuring out what the equation is.
• The students will present their final products.
• The other students will guess one another’s operations.
• Lead a discussion with the students of their impressions of making the decimal multiplication image.
Lesson Nine
To take place in the computer lab
• The students will use their original photographs again to make a new decimal multiplication equation.
• The teacher will lead a discussion to assess/evaluate the experience of creating the decimal
multiplication equations in the form of a digital photo
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