Do You Turtlehead?

I've been working with several fourth grade groups for math, and we recently hit 2 digit multiplication. I asked my sweet friend Diane from Teaching with Moxie for some tips, and she showed me Turtlehead. Say what?  Maybe you’ve seen it before, but I’ve lived in language arts land for the past 4 years and hadn’t seen it.

First you draw your turtlehead.  This is to help them focus on the first round of multiplying.

After you complete the first round of multiplying, your turtle lays an egg and you give it a collar.  This is to help them to now NOT focus on the first number they were using to multiply.

**If you have to regroup, once you add the number in, you can turn it into eyelashes, so you don't accidentally add it again.  The eyelashes part was for fun.  My boys did not participate in that step.  ; )

Then finish up your multiplication problem.

I just want to know where turtlehead was when I was in 4th grade????

p.s. How cute is that little turtle? It's from My Cute Graphics.