Tile it before you multiply
Give kids sticky notes or square tiles and have them cover a rectangle on their desk. Count the rows, count how many in each row, then count them all. After a few shapes, someone will say "Wait, it's just 3 times 5!" Now the formula is theirs, not yours.
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 withFinding the Area in Square Units WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →























