Materials Needed

• 5 to 10 bean bags (or pairs of rolled-up socks)
• 3 to 5 hula hoops, buckets, or chalk circles on the ground
• Index cards and a thick marker
• Masking tape (to create a "throw line")
• A score sheet and a pencil

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, Albie will be able to:

• Explain multiplication as "groups of" equal numbers.
• Solve multiplication problems for a specific times table (e.g., the 3s or 5s) using physical objects.
• Calculate a "total score" by multiplying the number of bean bags landed by the value of the target.

1. Introduction: The Multiplication "Fast-Forward" (The Hook)

The Hook: "Albie, imagine you are a professional athlete. Every time you land a bean bag in a target, you don't just get 1 point—you get a 'power-up' score! If we just added 1+1+1 every time, it would take forever to count your winning score. Today, we are going to use multiplication as our 'fast-forward' button to find your total score in seconds!"

The Goal: Today we are learning how to use the [Target Times Table, e.g., 3s] to master the Bean Bag Toss!

2. The Body: I Do, We Do, You Do

Phase 1: I Do (The Teacher Models)

Setup: Place one bucket on the floor. Label it with a large number "3" using an index card.

• Talking Points: "Watch me. If I throw 4 bean bags into this bucket worth 3 points each, I have 4 groups of 3."
• Action: Drop 4 bags into the bucket. "Instead of counting 1, 2, 3... I can say: 3, 6, 9, 12! Or, 4 times 3 equals 12."
• Success Criteria: Show Albie that the number of bags is the first number, and the bucket's value is the second number.

Phase 2: We Do (Guided Practice)

Setup: Place three buckets at different distances. Label them all with the number "3".

• The Activity: Ask Albie to throw two bean bags into any of the buckets.
• Prompt: "How many bags landed? (2). What is the value of the bucket? (3). So, what is our 'groups of' sentence?"
• Check for Understanding: Help Albie say, "2 groups of 3 is 6." Write it down on the score sheet together: 2 x 3 = 6.
• Repeat: Do this three times until Albie feels confident skip-counting by 3s.

Phase 3: You Do (Independent Play)

The Game: "The Ultimate Multiplication Challenge"

• The Rules: Albie has 10 bean bags. He can throw them at any target. Targets are now labeled with different values (e.g., a "2" target, a "5" target, and a "10" target).
• The Task: After throwing all 10 bags, Albie must go to each target and calculate the score for that specific group.
• Example: "I landed 3 bags in the '5' target. That’s 3 x 5 = 15 points!"
• The Final Step: Albie records his scores on his sheet and adds them up for his "Grand Total."

3. Conclusion: The Recap

• Summary: "Albie, you didn't just play a game; you used multiplication to calculate a complex score! What does the 'x' symbol mean when we talk about groups?" (Answer: "Groups of").
• Reflection: Ask Albie: "Which was faster—counting every bean bag one by one, or multiplying the groups?"
• Takeaway: Reinforce that multiplication is just a shortcut for adding the same number over and over.

Assessment

• Formative (During the lesson): Can Albie correctly identify that 3 bags in a "5" bucket means 3 x 5? (Check for the "Groups of" concept).
• Summative (End of lesson): Provide Albie with a "Final Boss" challenge: "If I put 6 bags in the 2-point bucket, what is the total score?" If he answers 12 correctly, he has mastered the objective.

Differentiation (Adapting the Lesson)

• For more support: Keep all buckets the same value (only use the 2s table) and provide a "skip-counting" cheat sheet (2, 4, 6, 8, 10...).
• For an extra challenge: Use "Mystery Buckets." Place a card face down in the bucket. Albie throws the bag, then flips the card to see what number he has to multiply his "landed bags" by.
• Kinesthetic Variation: If Albie has extra energy, have him do jumping jacks equal to the product (the answer) of his throw!