These are the notes I provide my 5th grade students when reviewing multi-digit multiplication. I use the basic story to accompany the notes (I tell students this story as I walk them through the steps in solving the sample problem using the traditional algorithm):

There are two ninja cat brothers. They have to defeat the "bad guys". The first ninja cat brother fights the first bad guy (the # in the ones place) and knocks him out, then the second (tens place), etc. After knocking out all the bad guys, he's tired and needs to rest in a seat (placeholder zero). Unfortunately, the bad guys have recovered and now it's time for the other ninja cat brother to fight. Go through the same steps as the first ninja cat brother. To see the total amount of points the ninja cat brothers earned for defeating the bad guys, add up the products.