1. Teaching Multiplication: THE ALIEN WAY
Using the Distributive Property to Teach Multiplication

2. What is The Distributive Property?
The Distributive Property Makes Numbers Easier to Work With
The Distributive Property lets you Multiply a Sum by multiplying each addend separately and then adding the products.
The Distributive Property helps children with Mental Math
Students should have lots of opportunity to break numbers apart using the Distributive Property which helps the Mental Math Process

3. The “Alien” Method If you have trouble solving 4 x 6,
Break the Numbers apart.
Step One: Break 6 into
2 smaller addends. Draw 2 heads around the 6 to place the addends into.
Try Using Alien
Heads to Help
With the distributive
Property! 3 3
4 x 6

4. Multiply 4 by each of the Alien Heads.
Step One: 3 3
Nice
Alien
Heads!
4 x 6
Step Two:
Multiply 4 by each of the Alien Heads.
(4 x 3) + (4 x 3)

5. Multiply 4 by each of the Alien Heads.
Step One: 3 3
4 x 6
Multiply 4 by each of the Alien Heads.
Step Two:
(4 x 3) + (4 x 3)
Step Three:
4 x 3= 12
4 x 3=12
=24
So… 4 x 6=24
Add the Products of the two multiplication problems together to get your final product.

6. What 2 numbers could I add together to equal 9?5 4
What 2 numbers could I add together to equal 9?
3 x 9
3 x 9
(3 x 5) + (3 x 4)
3 x 5= x 4=12
= 27
3 x 9= 27

7. What 2 numbers could I add together to equal 8?5 3
What 2 numbers could I add together to equal 8?
4 x 8
4 x 8
(4 x 5) + (4 x 3)
4 x 5= x 3=12
= 32
4 x 8=32

8. What 2 numbers could I add together to equal 7?5 2
What 2 numbers could I add together to equal 7?
6 x 7
6 x 7
(6 x 5) + (6 x 2)
6 x 5= x 2=12
= 42
6 x 7=42

9. What 2 numbers could I add together to equal 9?5 4
What 2 numbers could I add together to equal 9?
6 x 9
6 x 9
(6 x 5) + (6 x 4)
6 x 5= x 4=24
= 54
6 x 9=54

10. 5 x 9 Try Some! (__ x __) + (__ x__) ? ?
Hint: What 2 numbers could I add together to make 9? Remember to add the products together.
5 x 9
(__ x __) + (__ x__)

11. 3 x 7 Try Some! (__ x __) + (__ x__) ? ?
Hint: What 2 numbers could I add together to make 7? Remember to add the products together.
3 x 7
(__ x __) + (__ x__)

12. 6 x 8 Try Some! (__ x __) + (__ x__) ? ?
Hint: What 2 numbers could I add together to make 8? Remember to add the products together.
6 x 8
(__ x __) + (__ x__)

13. 4 x 7 Try Some! (__ x __) + (__ x__) ? ?
Hint: What 2 numbers could I add together to make 7? Remember to add the products together.
4 x 7
(__ x __) + (__ x__)

14. 9 x 9 Try Some! (__ x __) + (__ x__) ? ?
Hint: What 2 numbers could I add together to make 9? Remember to add the products together.
9 x 9
(__ x __) + (__ x__)

15. 7 x 8 Try Some! (__ x __) + (__ x__) ? ?
Hint: What 2 numbers could I add together to make 8? Remember to add the products together.
7 x 8
(__ x __) + (__ x__)

16. Explain the steps you used to solve
Journal Question
Katelyn went to the store. She bought 4 boxes of muffins. There were 8 muffins in each box. How many muffins did she buy?
*Solve this problem using the distributive property of multiplication.
Don’t forget to use me!
Explain the steps you used to solve
The problem.

17. Using the Distributive Property
Name___________
Using the Distributive Property
3 x x x x 9
(3 x _) + (3 x _) (4 x _) + (4 x _) (6 x _) + (6 x _) (3 x _) + (3 x_)
Solve the following problems using the distributive property of
Multiplication. Show your work in the workspace provided. 5.
6 x 7 6.
3 x 8 7.
4 x 6 8.
5 x 9
9. We went to the park. There were 3 children. Each child had 3 crackers. How many crackers were there in all?
10. Colt went to the store. He bought 4 bags of oranges. There were 7 oranges in each bag. How many oranges did he buy?