Double Digit Multiplication

I was on Pinterest one day and came across a picture where a teacher had written a message across the student tables.  The teacher mentioned that you could use dry erase markers on the table to leave messages for your students or have them do their work right on the tables.  When I got to school the next day, I very carefully took my dry erase marker and made a tiny mark.  Then I took the eraser to it and sure enough, gone!  So I tried it out with my students and of course they loved it.  I told them they could only do it IF an adult had told them it was ok and that they were not to go around and start writing on everything.  

So with this new "hook" I was ready to get back into our double digit multiplication.  They were using open arrays to figure out the multiplication problem.  You draw your array and then break your number apart by place value and multiply each part.  It really helps students see and understand what needs to be multiplied.  Breaking it all apart will help them develop a deeper understanding of how the algorithm works when they are taught that strategy.

I just wanted them to practice some and I didn't need to keep it.  I could walk around and take pictures and talk about misconceptions as they were working.  It was then easy for them to erase.  It also seemed easier for them to walk me through their thinking.

They had their choice of using little white boards or the actual table itself.  We did a little gallery walk after everyone was finished.  The thinking was so great!