5 Activities to Practice Fact Fluency During Distance Learning

Raise your hand if your life as a teacher is so much easier when your students are proficient in multiplication fact fluency… Hello, no-brainer! But fact fluency…. in distance learning?!

It’s like once students find their confidence in their facts, working through larger problems becomes so much more satisfying!

The process of getting your students to a high level of proficiency in their multiplication facts is so rewarding, but it can be tough to make the process enjoyable and engaging.

I know it makes a teacher’s heart oh, so happy when you have an abundance of ideas at your fingertips to practice fact fluency.

Finding those ideas that cater to distance learning, hybrid teaching, and even for those who are still face-to-face, can be super challenging.

I mean, we’re talking about activities that have to literally work from anywhere, not just in your classroom. 

I know you’ve probably gotten some of the, “Well how hard can it be?” type questions over the course of this semester (aren’t those lovely by the way?).

But trust me, I get it. I’m here to help! 

I’d love to share with you a few activities that can be used to help your students practice multiplication fact fluency, and take some of the pressure off of you to find new ideas!

Digital Mystery Pixel Picture

I can’t contain my excitement! I have to share this digital fact fluency activity with you first!

This Digital Mystery Pixel Picture is super fun and an engaging way for students to practice multiplication facts 0-10.

The screen displays several facts at once, and as students correctly answer, a mystery picture is revealed!

You don’t have to worry about it becoming repetitive or students “memorizing” the pictures.

This product comes with 10 different multiplication pixels, all self-checking, and of course no prep required by you!

The mystery pixels coordinate with Google Classroom, Google Drive, Excel, and many other platforms! (Not sure how to do this? Make sure to read my post on how to upload Google Slides to ANY educational platform!)

You can click here to learn more about this Digital Mystery Pixel Picture and even watch a short video on how it works.I think this is the perfect fact fluency activity for 3rd and 4th graders, and could even be used as an intervention activity for 5th grade!

Google Classroom Multiplication Fact Fluency

Here’s another digital activity I’m thrilled to share to help you prep for more distance learning!

This Google Classroom Fact Fluency comes with 8 different ways to get your students digitally practicing their multiplication facts.

Some of the activities include identifying missing factors and also drag & drop activities that focus on specific number ranges at a time.

I love the effectiveness of this resource because it allows your students to practice fact fluency by more than simply answering questions in a times table format.

It allows them to understand each fact a little more deeply by requiring them to sort through products, figure out what is required, or if the product is even or odd.

I also have a blog post on how to create the perfect distance learning lesson using these resources – you can read it here!

You can get a preview of this Google Classroom Fact Fluency resource here!

Color-By-Number

One of the simplest and most enjoyed fact fluency activities – color-by-number!

As winter break approaches and you’re searching for more low key activities that are still educational, yet not super structured, I’d love to give you my free winter Multiplication Color-By-Number!

I share this because it can definitely work for your distance learning students, as well!

You can save the color-by-number as a PDF and upload it to Google Classroom, Seesaw, or whatever platform you use!

For your in-class students, I do always recommend creating an answer key and making several copies for your students to check themselves before they start coloring.

Have each student complete the page with pencil first, then conduct a self-check and make corrections, and finally start coloring!

For your distance students, you can upload a colored copy of the answer key at a later date, so they are still able to self-check as well.

 It’s a simple way for them to be held accountable for the fun activity and get the most out of fact fluency practice!

Arrays, Groups, Addition, & Number Lines

I have one more fact fluency product I’m super eager to share with you!

This Google Classroom Bundle of Activities for Distance Learning is aside from the basic fact fluency practice methods and utilizes arrays, equal groups, repeated addition, and number lines!

I would definitely incorporate these activities toward the beginning of your multiplication unit, as each exercise really makes a connection to previous knowledge (repeated addition) and shows students multiple ways to find their answer by using arrays, grouping, and number lines.

Clockwork

Lastly, Clockwork is one of my favorite, most basic games to practice fact fluency.

It does focus on accuracy, but really emphasizes speed as well, so I would recommend using this game when your students are at a more confident level in their fact fluency!

For students in the classroom, separate everyone into small groups (4-5 students). Draw a circle on your whiteboard with 1-12 labeled on the inside area of the circle, resembling a clock. Each student needs their own dry erase marker, and each group stands in a line in front of their “clock.” As the teacher, choose a factor to multiply by. When time begins, students choose a multiplication fact on the clock to answer one-by-one and they write the answer on the outside of the circle, next to the number on the clock. 

For example, if the factor is 6, one student would write 6 on the outside of the circle next to the 1, because 1×6=6. The next student can pick any fact left on the “clock.” They may pick 7 next. They would write 42 on the outside of the circle next to 7 because 7×6=42. The group who finishes first, wins! Students get so excited about the competition, I love that it’s a team effort, and it’s a perfect way to make practicing fact fluency engaging!

To incorporate your distance students, they could virtually be a part of a group and shout out an answer to be written on the board when it becomes their turn.

Or, you can create a different timed activity for them to complete on their own.

What did you think of these fact fluency in distance learning activities?

I can imagine how tough teaching and understanding new information totally online can be for you and your students.

My hope is that you can find much guidance in these multiplication activities as you continue to navigate through distance learning and fact fluency practice!

What are you most excited about using?! 🙂 Share in the comments below!

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