This lesson is designed to connect the operation of multiplication to the concept of area. It begins with a review of counting squares in a rectangle to find the area then gradually moves to multiplying the sides. Finally, students will determine dimensions based on the area of the rectangle.

This lesson addresses parts a and b of the standard:

a.) Find the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths by tiling it, and show that the area is the same as would be found by multiplying the side lengths

b.) Multiply side lengths to find areas of rectangles with whole-number side lengths in the context of solving real world and mathematical problems, and represent whole-number products as rectangular areas in mathematical reasoning)