Hey there!  I’ve missed you all!  My post today is one that I have slaved over for WEEKS!  Seriously.  I don’t know about you but many of my fifth grade students are really struggling with basic multiplication facts.  It’s sad to see them understanding HOW to do things but not be able to complete them correctly on a consistent basis due to math fact mastery.  So as any teacher-author would do, I set to creating a solution!

Now, maybe I’ve been helping my kindergartener with her book club where they use these folders to transport books to and from school; but I felt that I just had to create a self-paced system that would allow students to master multiplication facts and build mathematical confidence.  Or….MAYBE I just wanted an excuse to use these ADORABLE folders!  Either way, I set to work!

Last year, I found an old copy of Dr. Carl Seltzer‘s book Multiplication Facts in Seven Days.  I loved the way he broke up the facts and allowed students to use the commutative property of multiplication to lighten the load of fact mastery.  Why spend time learning your 1’s, followed by your 2’s, and 3’s?  By the time they get to the 6’s, they are DONE!

So I set to work making printer friendly flash cards and assessments for my students to begin using.  I passed them out and explained the system to parents at Parent-Teacher Conferences to ensure that they understood that the program is self paced and what my expectations were.  I also included a parent letter incase they didn’t attend conferences or needed a refresher later.

Inside each folder is a ziplock baggie with the facts for Set One.  Set One is the largest set but only includes eight facts.  When the parent feels that they are able to fluently answer each fact in the folder they return it to school.  I then assess the students using quick, printer friendly assessments.

My students have actually enjoyed doing these.  Since I am only doing it with about six students in my classroom and six students in the other fifth grade classroom, they feel a little *privileged* to have something that the other students don’t.  My fear was that the opposite effect would happen.  They have handled it well and have been very motivated to move through the six sets.

If you’re interested in using this system in your own classroom, you can grab the Addition and Multiplication Editions by clicking the images below!  You might also find them on sale!!! 🙂

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