You can do it with infinitesimals if you like, but the required course in nonstandard analysis to justify it is a bastard.
You can do it with synthetic differential geometry, but that introduces some fiddliness in the underlying logic in order to cope with the fact that eps^2 really "equals" zero for small enough eps, and yet eps is not equal to zero.
Or you can hand wave a bit and trust intuition. Just like the titans who invented it all did!
The obsession with rigor that later developed -- while necessary -- is really an "advanced topic" that shouldn't displace learning the intuition and big picture concepts. I think math up through high school should concentrate on the latter, while still being honest about the hand-waving when it happens.