Start a dialogue around area models! In this lesson, encourage students to ask questions as they multiply using area models. Use this lesson on its own or as support to the lesson Area Models and Multiplication.
Students will be able to create area models and decompose the factor on one side of a rectangle.
Language
Students will be able to ask questions about multiplying with area models using graph paper and color-coding.
Introduction
(3 minutes)
Display a photo of a corn maze. Explain the concept of the corn maze and provide a realistic scenario that would involve area. For example, say, "The owners of the corn maze have one location for the maze, but they would like to break it up into two mazes: one for kids and one for adults." Ask students to think about the mathematical process the scenario relates to.
Allow volunteers to share aloud and direct them to understand that the visual represents many different ideas (e.g., length, area, distance, angles, etc.) but today they'll focus on area—and more specifically on decomposing areas.
Read the student-friendly language objective (e.g., "I can ask questions about multiplying with area models using graph paper and color coding.") and define the keywords in the objective (e.g., area model, multiplying, graph paper). First ask for student input and then give the definition and have students repeat it.