Multiplication and ice castles

This week's homeschooling involves multiplication. When I learned multiplication in second grade, I just didn't get it. I remember it was just a nightmare and I don't know if I missed the class where it was taught that day or what but it took forever to kick in. So I have thought and thought on the best way to teach multiplication. This is what I told Hayes: it is just a shortcut for addition.
Yesterday we started on the 1s and Hayes was so proud of herself she just wanted to do multiplication all over the wall. Today we did 0s.

And, of course, all my good homeschooling ideas are stolen ones. This one came from The Crafty Crow. Hayes and I filled plastic bowls last night and she added food coloring. Each piece froze solid or almost solid and that made for some creative sculpturing this morning on the kitchen island.



I showed Hayes how to add a bit of salt and watch the ice melt then she could refreeze the pieces together. She also got the magnifying glass to examine the ice a bit more closely.
Chooj took it upon himself to taste each one.