Exploring Multiples, Factors and Primes

 

Year 5 used coloured stacking counters to identify multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Children recorded their colour choices for each multiple. After completing each multiple we discussed the height of the towers and decided why the towers were different heights. The children used vocabulary such as multiple, factor, and common factors.

We used this information to sift out the prime numbers. The children understood that some of the numbers were blank because they were prime numbers. That left them to discuss 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. They realised that these numbers had counters on but were still prime numbers, apart from 1.

                       

After identifying all the primes to 100, the children removed all the towers from the hundred square. They swapped with another group to see if they could identify the colours they used for each multiple. This deemed to be very challenging and the children had some great discussions in their teams about which colour represented which multiple.