Lesson Plan
Factors Over the Rainbow
Make math colorful! Teach your students to find the factors of a number using the factor rainbow strategy.
Grade:
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Learning Objectives
Students will be able to find all factor pairs for a given number.
Introduction
(5 minutes)- Write the number 12 on the board.
- Ask students to shout out factors (i.e., "What numbers go into 12?").
- Write the factors around the number and prompt students as needed to get all factors (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12).
- Explain, "These are all factors of 12. Factors are numbers we can multiply together to get another number. For example, 3 x 4 is 12, so 3 and 4 are both factors of 12."
- Write the definition of "factor" on the board (a whole number that divides exactly into another number).
Beginning
- Give students thinking time to discuss the factors of 12 with a partner before shouting them out as a whole group.
Intermediate
- Include the meaning of "factor" in students' home language (L1) as applicable.
- Display examples of factors to help solidify understanding.