Gather the materials
- An array drawing of seven rows of six
- Two colors or paper strips
- A times-table chart for a supported check
Choose large materials and supervise their use. Adjust quantity, print size, response method and pace to the learner. A partner may move or record while the learner points or explains.
Teach the sequence
3 minutes
Establish the question
Show seven equal rows of six. Ask for the number of groups and the group size before calculating. Choose a starting fact the learner actually knows; do not assume all 5s facts are secure.
5 minutes
Split the same array
Mark five rows and two rows in different colors. Connect them to 5 × 6 = 30 and 2 × 6 = 12. Combine 30 + 12 to find 42, keeping both parts inside the original seven-row arrangement.
4 minutes
Compare a second route
If six rows of six are known, show 6 × 6 + 6. Ask why that also describes the same array. Discuss the reasoning before choosing which route felt easier.
4 minutes
Transfer once
Offer 7 × 8 with a drawn array. Invite a useful split and have the learner label each part and the total. Use the chart afterwards to check, not as a source of a copied explanation.
Adapt the same idea
Provide more support
Begin with a smaller array and genuinely familiar facts, such as 3 × 4 built from 2 × 4 + 4. Provide the drawing and allow a verbal or pointed explanation.
Extend when ready
Ask the learner to create two valid decompositions for the same product and explain why both preserve every group exactly once. Avoid scoring the chosen strategy by speed alone.
What to observe
- Does the split account for all original groups with no overlaps or omissions?
- Can the learner connect each partial product with its region?
- Can they explain the combined total on a new example?
Use these observations to decide what to model next. A brief note about a strategy or a misconception is more useful than simply recording a score.
Home follow-up
Use one homework fact and draw a split that uses a known fact. Tell a grown-up what each part means before checking the product.