Number 6 liked the fingers' concert so much that she started to dream of a career as a performer.
Number 6 liked somersaulting more than anything else, so she joined the circus.
Soon number 6 invited all her friends to a show.
‘How did you manage to become a circus performer so quickly?' the numbers asked in surprise.
‘A magic table helped me,' number 6 said with a wink, showing her friends to their seats in the
big top.
She clapped her hands six times and announced:
‘1õ6= 6, the performance is starting! First up - juggling!'
Number 6 leapt into the middle of
the stage and said:
‘2õ6=12 throws,' and she grabbed 2 round balls and
tossed them into the air 6 times. Then number 6 grabbed
another ball and cried:
‘3õ6=18 throws,' and she threw all 3 balls into the
air 6 times, not dropping them once.
Suddenly, the lights went off and a mysterious voice
could be heard in the darkness:
‘Fireworks: 4õ6= 24 flames.'
Suddenly, the numbers could see someone throwing 4
flaming torches into the air 6 times.
‘5õ6=30,' a voice called out. Then five torches flew
up into the air 6 times.
‘6õ6=36,' the voice shouted even more loudly, and
6 dazzling torches flashed so brightly that it looked
like a real firework was flashing through the air.
The numbers jumped up and clapped loudly. The lights
went on again, but number 6 wasn't on the stage. In
her place stood an amazing creature, wrapped in a
glittering gown.
‘I am Magician Six, I can use a spell to increase
your wealth by any number,' the creature in the glittering
gown said.
‘I know that number 7 always carries 7 coins in his
purse. Lend me them for a minute,' the magician said.
Number 7 reluctantly handed over his coins, worried
that he'd never see them again. He watched suspiciously
as the magician took a golden box out from under the
floorboard and placed the coins inside.
‘Multiplying is easy, that much is clear! 7õ6=42 coins
will appear!' the magician cried and to number 7's
delight, fished 42 coins out of the golden box.
‘Dear Magician Six, could you make my balloons multiply?'
number 8 asked shyly. ‘I was given 8 balloons for
my birthday, but I would like more.'
The magician took number 8's multicoloured balloons, put them in the box and uttered the
following words:
‘Multiplying is easy, that much is clear! 8õ6=48 balloons will appear!'
The box started to inflate, and suddenly it split into pieces, and 48 large multicoloured balloons
floated up to the roof of the big top.
‘Oh, my balloons!' number 8 cried.
‘Don't worry,' the magician said. He threw off his glittering gown, and underneath was number
6 in a leotard.
‘And now – an acrobatic performance! I will jump as high as the roof! 9õ6 =54 jumps, bring me
the trapeze!' number 6 ordered, and 6 trapezes were lowered down from the ceiling at different
heights.
Then number 6 performed 9 dizzying jumps on each trapeze.
The numbers gasped in fear as they watched her leap from one trapeze to the next.
Thunderous applause greeted number 6 when she landed on the stage and handed number 8 his
balloons. The audience asked number 6 for an encore 10 times, and after each performance, she
bowed precisely 6 times.
‘10õ6=60 bows. Dear numbers, my back's starting to hurt,' number 6 exclaimed, and everyone
laughed.
Questions to accompany the
story
• Draw a picture and write a story
using the 6 times table.
• Make up your own examples, using the 6 times table,
about performers in the circus: 5
mice danced a waltz. How many turns did the mice do
altogether, if they each turned 6
times 5õ6=?
Game: ‘Magical flower’
Make a flower with 6 petals, each
one a different colour. Each of the magical flower’s
petals grant 6 wishes for someone who knows their
6 times table. The children stand in a circle. The
teacher uses a wand to select one of the children.
My magical flower’s six petals,
Are colourful and bright,
It grants six wishes to children,
Who get their six times table right!
The chosen child goes up to the flower, tears off
one of its petals and then recites the 6 times table.
If they don’t make any mistakes, the flower will grant
6 wishes for them.
"Why Zero Locked Himself up"
Fairytale about Number ZERO
(Multiplication by 0 and by 10)
 When Zero discovered the other numbers were making up times tables, he decided to think up
one for himself.
‘There’s no way you can do that!’number 3 exclaimed in a terrified voice.
‘How come you can and I can’t?’ Zero said, feeling hurt.
‘Sorry, Zero, but it’s better for you to stay away from the multiplication sign altogether. When
any number is multiplied by, zero, it becomes zero. The numbers are terrified of that happening,’
number 9 explained.
Zero was terribly upset. That night, he dreamt he had the multiplication sign in his hands. When
he said hello to any of the numbers, they turned into zero straight away. Soon all the numbers
had become zero. Zero woke up in a cold sweat. ‘I’ll lock myself in my house to make sure I
don’t multiply anyone,’ he decided.
The next morning, there was a sign on Zero’s
door for everyone to see: “Danger! No entry!”
The numbers called out to him and banged on his door,
but it was impossible to convince Zero
to come out of his house.
He spent the whole week locked up indoors.
One day, number 1 left a letter on Zero’s porch.
The next morning, everyone stared in amazement
as Zero walked past, hand in hand with number 1.
‘Did you finally get fed up with locking yourself
indoors, Zero?’ everyone exclaimed in delight.
‘Number 1 persuaded me to go outside,’
Zero smiled.
‘I wrote Zero a letter about how it
was impossible to multiply by ten
without him,’ number 1 explained,
and he waved his magic wand.
Suddenly, a beautiful flowerbed appeared before number 1 and Zero. To begin with, 10
sunflowers with 2 sunflowers on each one, then 10 bluebells, with 3 bells on each, followed by
10 roses with 4 petals each, and 10 bushes with 5 flowers each.
‘Without Zero, we couldn’t multiply by 10!’ the numbers realised, and they clapped their hands.
The numbers spent the whole day multiplying by ten, because they had missed Zero very much.
Questions to accompany the story
• Colour in a picture and write examples from the 10 times table, hidden in the tale.
• Why did Zero become scared and lock himself indoors?
• What happens if you multiply by 0?
• Make up a funny example of multiplication by 10.
Game: ‘Saving the numbers from Zero’
The children stand in a circle and are given cards with numbers on them. The child who receives
the card showing the number 0 is the leader. He or she names a number of their choice. The child
whose number has been named squats down in the middle of the circle and gives the leader their
card, to “turn into zero” (because when anything is multiplied by zero, you get zero). The other
“numbers” can save their friend. They hold up their cards so the person in the middle can see
them. He or she must choose two numbers and multiply them together. For example: 6õ7 = 42.
The two numbers named by the child in the middle of the circle must carry their friend outside
the circle, using their own chosen method. The leader’s task is to gather as many “numbers” as
possible in the centre of the circle. The “numbers” have to try and save their friends.
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