As a parent, teacher, or homeschooler seeking to provide kids with engaging learning opportunities related to multiplication, the Montessori Bead Stair is an excellent educational tool. Utilizing Maria Montessori’s age-old method of teaching math and other topics through meaningful tactile activities, children are encouraged to explore their environment and express themselves through creative play.
This unique approach can help your student develop a deep understanding of mathematical operations and improve confidence in problem solving from the elementary school years all the way through college. In this blog post, we’ll discuss examples of how you can use the Montessori Bead Stair for multiplication exercises that will prepare your child for long-term success.
This beautiful Montessori math lesson uses one of my favorite Montessori math materials. This colorful Montessori Bead Box is one of my favorites. You can purchase a Montessori box of beads on Amazon for a reasonable price. You will get a lot of use out of this box of beads.
Imagine a child learning multiplication with such beautiful objects. That’ll hook them if nothing else will!
Below is a lesson on Multiplication with the Short Bead Stair. Let me know what you think!
Invite the child to learn how to multiply. Carry the box to a table or mat.
Multiplication with Montessori Short Bead Stair Lesson
Presentation I: Introduction to Multiplication
“We will begin by multiplying threes. 3 taken 1 time is 3.” Lay a 3 bar horizontally.
Show the product underneath with a vertical bead bar: “Now, let’s see how many 3 taken 2 times is…3 taken 2 times is 6.” Place two-three bars horizontally. Then place a six-bar vertically underneath the three bars.
Continue with 3 taken 3 times by placing and so on to 3 x 10.
Show the child how to record the equations in a blank booklet.
Return the bars to the box and invite the child to try another numeral.
If a child runs out of bars doing the layout, suggest that he identify the needed bars in the products. So, for example, if the child runs out of three bars then he can retrieve a two-bar and a one-bar to add up to three.
Presentation II: Multiplication by Ten
“One taken ten times is the same as what?”
“Two taken ten times is the same as ten taken two times. What do we call two tens? Yes, twenty.”
Continue with this approach through 100. When you get to 100, ask the child if the bars remind her of anything. Get out the hundred square and place it beside the answer.
When the child records these numbers, have her write the zeros in red to emphasize the ten times any number can be formed by adding a zero to that number.
Additional Montessori Bead Stair Resources
- DIY Montessori Math Beads from Imagine Our Life
- DIY Bead Bars from Living Montessori Now
- Bead Printables from Montessori Printshop
Thanks for stopping by…
Marnie