The Multiplication Hustle Play-Along
Press play. The song calls out every move. You do not have to know a single dance step, choreograph anything, or prepare a thing. Put it on the screen and the class follows along. It runs 3 minutes and 23 seconds and covers all 36 multiplication facts, hardest first.
How to run it in your room
- Put it on the big screen and turn the volume up. The kids need to hear the called move, not just see it.
- Make a little room. Push desks back if you can, or just have everyone stand behind their chair. Nothing in the song requires moving around.
- Do it with them. This is the part that matters. If the adult in the room is dancing, the third graders will dance. If the adult is watching, so will they.
Every fact and its move
Same fact, same move, every single time. That is the whole idea. After enough repetitions the move itself becomes the cue for the answer, which is why the moves never change between plays.
| Fact | Called move |
|---|---|
| 9 × 9 = 81 | both arms to the sky |
| 8 × 8 = 64 | twist down low |
| 8 × 9 = 72 | two jumps, touch shoe |
| Chorus — groove right, groove left | |
| 7 × 7 = 49 | march in place |
| 7 × 8 = 56 | clap on the beat, in place |
| 7 × 9 = 63 | pat shoulders, then pat knees |
| 6 × 6 = 36 | tap toes, then hand-over-hand stacking motion |
| 6 × 7 = 42 | two claps, then point at a neighbor |
| 6 × 8 = 48 | hands on hips, stand tall |
| 6 × 9 = 54 | spin, touch floor |
| Chorus — groove right, groove left | |
| 5 × 5 = 25 | high five a neighbor |
| 5 × 6 = 30 | brush both shoulders |
| 5 × 7 = 35 | high five |
| 5 × 8 = 40 | pop the collar |
| 5 × 9 = 45 | high five |
| 4 × 4 = 16 | shake it out |
| 4 × 5 = 20 | clap once, freeze |
| 4 × 6 = 24 | spin, touch floor |
| 4 × 7 = 28 | slide, stand tall |
| 4 × 8 = 32 | four hops |
| 4 × 9 = 36 | one freestyle move |
| Freestyle — 8 counts, their own moves | |
| Chorus — groove right, groove left | |
| 3 × 3 = 9 | show 9 on your fingers |
| 3 × 4 = 12 | big two-arm bell pull |
| 3 × 5 = 15 | the Hustle step |
| 3 × 6 = 18 | shake |
| 3 × 7 = 21 | run in place |
| 3 × 8 = 24 | reach up, then down |
| 3 × 9 = 27 | reach to the sky |
| 2 × 2 = 4 | show 4 fingers, tap floor |
| 2 × 3 = 6 | show 6 fingers, kick |
| 2 × 4 = 8 | clap, show 8 fingers |
| 2 × 5 = 10 | both hands, all 10 fingers |
| 2 × 6 = 12 | stomp in place |
| 2 × 7 = 14 | stomp your feet |
| 2 × 8 = 16 | one big jump |
| 2 × 9 = 18 | hands up, celebrate |
| Outro — hands to the sky, you made the whole climb | |
Using this with your class?
We are looking for a small group of teachers to try it and tell us what actually happened in the room. No cost, nothing to sign up for, and we are not asking for anything except three honest sentences afterward. Tell us how it went at [email protected].
The Multiplication Hustle is written and produced by CleverAll LLC. The song, the moves, and this recording are ours. You are welcome to use it in your classroom.