In the lesson linked below, students will be given a fixed area (number of square tiles) and find all the possible rectangles that have that area to understand the concept of factors and factoring. Students will use the area model and algebra tiles to factor simple trinomials.
Lesson guidelines: http://auhsdmath.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/60875886/1_0%20Teacher%20DirectionsFactor%3ASolve.pdf
Area of rectangles: http://auhsdmath.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/60875888/1_1AreaofRectangles.pdf
Factoring with algebra tiles: http://auhsdmath.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/60875901/1_2FactorwithAlgTiles.pdf
X problems I: http://auhsdmath.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/60875902/1_3XProbsI.pdf