Area and the Distributive Property

3rd GradeMath25 min

Learning Objective

I can use the distributive property to find the area of a rectangle.

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

11 min

Guided Notes

5 min

Key concepts students will learn:

  • The distributive property can be used to break apart a multiplication problem into simpler numbers to make it easier to solve.

  • To find the area of a rectangle using the distributive property, you can break one of the side lengths into two parts, then multiply the other side length by each of those parts and add the results.

  • When finding area, the answer is always in square units, such as square feet or square meters.

Practice

10 min

3 questions • Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

5 min

A rectangle has a side that is 6 feet long. The other side is 15 feet long. Break apart the 15 feet into 10 feet and 5 feet. Use the distributive property to find the total area of the rectangle. Show your work.

Teacher Guide

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  • Answer keys for all questions
  • Differentiation strategies
  • Extension activities
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