Use Our Area Model Template – Multiplication Activity

Teach Starter has created a hands-on activity to use in your math centers to help your students get familiar with the area model of multiplication. This teacher-created resource includes problem cards, area model templates, cut-apart pieces, recording sheets and answer keys.

To complete this activity, determine which type of problem you would like your students to work on. This activity includes:

• 2 Digits x 1 Digit
• 3 Digits x 1 Digit
• 4 Digits x 1 Digit
• 2 Digits x 2 Digits
• 3 Digits x 2 Digits

Cut apart the pieces for the problem type your students are working on and place them in a bag or envelope. Provide the students with the corresponding area model mat (Remember to cut off the answer key!). You can choose to have students work collaboratively on one problem or assign each student a different problem. Choose a task card and encourage students to build the area model with the provided pieces. Students can then record their answers on their recording sheet.

Each problem type includes either 3 or 4 question cards to use.

How to Get Your Small Group Multiplication Activity

If you are ready for your students to use this activity in your classroom, head on over to the green download button! Here, you will find the quick-print PDF file and the editable Google Slides version. If selecting the Google Slides option, please note that you will first be prompted to make a copy of the resource to your personal drive before accessing it.

Consider printing the problem cards, mats and pieces on cardstock for durability.

This resource was created by Brittany Kellogg, a teacher in Ohio and Teach Starter Collaborator. 

Looking for More Area Model Resources?

Don’t stop there! We’ve got more activities to shorten your lesson planning time:  

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Area Model for Multiplication Mini-Book

Demonstrate how to use area models for multiplication with this printable mini-book.

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Area Model Worksheets for 4th Grade

Teach your students how to determine factors and the product of an area model with this worksheet pack.

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Area Model of Multiplication Task Cards

Guide your students to use area model multiplication to solve multi-digit multiplication problems with this set of 24 task cards.