Area models first
Before teaching the standard steps for 2-digit multiplication, draw a rectangle and split it into tens and ones: 30 + 4 by 20 + 6. Kids find the four smaller areas and add them. When they meet the algorithm later, they know why it works.
Why it works: kids understand an idea best when they touch it, then draw it, then write it, the order the U.S. Department of Education recommends for elementary math.
Try it withTwo Digit Numbers Multiplication WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →























