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Here’s some resources for an idea I shared a while back which I’ve just done again this year.
I showed my class a multiplication grid, explained what it was and then proceeded to fill it in, taking suggestions from the class and having lots of pauses so that the children could discuss what they noticed. I tried to make several points to them, including:
-Times tables get easier to learn the more you know, as when you learn a new times table you will already know some facts in it! For example, when you learn the 7 times table you already know that 7×2 is 14, you already know 7×10 is 10, you already know 7×5 is 35!
-I highlighted to the children that squared numbers form a diagonal line across the grid. On either side of the squared numbers you get a mirror image forming.
-The 4 times table is linked closely with the 2 times table.
-The 10 times table is linked closely with the 5 times table.
-The 6 times table is linked closely with the 3 times table.
-The 9 times table has a pattern in its numbers. Can they see what it is?
After I completed the grid on the board, I sent my children off in pairs to complete their own grid. The rule was that they should use one pencil between two to fill in the grid and that they needed to swap over who used the pencil after writing each number in. Once complete, children used a pre-printed multiplication grid to check all their answers and then looked at answering some extension questions about what they had noticed.
I’ve found this to be a really effective lesson near the end of Year 2.