Introduction:
Before we begin our lesson, let’s start off by going over what place value is. Place value is a way of understanding that each number is made up of specific parts, or digits. It is also important to understand that each place in a number has a value that is 10 times larger than the place before it.
For example, in the number 394, the 3 stands for 3 hundreds, the 9 stands for 9 tens and the 4 stands for 4 ones.
Now that we understand what place value is, let’s begin our lesson!
Lesson Outline:
1. Review Tens and Ones: Begin the lesson by having students review what tens and ones are and how to use them to represent larger numbers. Using concrete materials such as popsicle sticks, buttons, or unifix cubes can help students to understand this concept. (Resource 1)
2. Place Value to 100: Once students have a good understanding of tens and ones, introduce them to the idea of place value to 100. (Resource 2) Explain that there are 3 places in a number that come before hundreds — tens, ones, and hundreds — and discuss how each place has a larger value than the one before it.
3. Place Value to 1000: Next, have students practice expanding the concept of place value to 1000. Introduce the concepts of thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones — and explain how each place holds a value that is 10 times larger than the place before it. (Resource 3)
4. Place Value Charts: Introduce the idea of using place value charts to represent numbers. Give students a variety of numbers and have them practice representing them using place value charts. (Resource 4)
Questioning:
Throughout the lesson, pose questions to help guide your students’ thinking. In particular:
• What is place value?
• How do tens and ones work together to create a larger number?
• What is the value of each place?
• How can place value charts help us understand a number?
Assessment:
At the end of the lesson, have students complete a worksheet that compiles Place Value skills such as identifying and determining the value of each place, representing numbers in number and word form, and comparing and ordering numbers. (Resource 5) This can be used as an assessment to determine each student’s understanding of the topic.
Differentiation:
For students who need more support, provide additional activities and materials such as differentiated worksheets, math manipulatives, and number flashcards. (Resource 6)
For students who need more of a challenge, provide activities such as place value puzzles, practice rounding numbers to the nearest 10, or practice finding the place value for larger numbers such as to 10,000. (Resource 7)
Plenary:
To review the material, have the class play a game such as the “Place Value Race”. Give each student a set of place value cards (hundreds, tens, and units) and have them try to create the largest number possible. The first student to get all their cards in the correct place wins. (Resource 8)
Resources:
Resource 1: Video – “What is Place Value?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmQ2JdnebbE
Resource 2: Worksheet – Place Value to 100: https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/place-value/b-place-value-to-hundred.php
Resource 3: Video – “Place Value to 1000” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_xfdVYBCYg
Resource 4: Worksheet – Place Value Charts: https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/place-value/d-place-value-charts.php
Resource 5: Worksheet – Place Value Review: https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/place-value/review.php
Resource 6: Differentiated Worksheets and Math Manipulatives: https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/place-value.html
Resource 7: Place Value Puzzles and Practice: https://www.math-play.com/Place%20Value%20Millionaire.html
Resource 8: Place Value Race Game: https://www.teachingideas.co.uk/maths/place-value-race