As the beginning of the year approaches (or has started for some),
we look at lessons and units to help start off the year. One of the units is
place value. Why? It helps students understand the meaning of the numbers they
are writing and using. Without this foundational knowledge students can
struggle in regrouping, understanding expanded notation, speaking, and writing
the word form of standard numbers.
Some friends of mine and I have shared a few of our ideas and
units to help strengthen students place value understanding.
Place Value
Houses Project Idea – Mrs. Hansen’s Helpfuls
One strategy I use to help build the skills for a strong place
value foundation is to create Place Value Houses. This project allows students
to visually see how numbers are grouped into “threes” and allows students to
practice number formation, speaking, and writing. They are simple to make. Just
draw houses with three bedrooms a piece. Label the house bedrooms ones, tens,
and hundreds. Then name the houses hundreds, thousands, millions, etc. Students
even love to make it look like a neighborhood. Students can also make number
cards to fit into the houses.
Other practice is also available through self-checking task cards.
Students can decipher expanded notation and word form to make the standard
numbers. Students look at the task card and then build the number on the Place
Value Houses. To check students simply flip over the card. Once the Place Value
Houses are built, these task cards can make a great center!
Interested but don’t want to make them from scratch? No problem,
try these products:
Place Value Houses Project
Place Value Task Cards – Self-Checking
Math Mysteries –
Mrs. J’s Resources
Revisiting and building on place value knowledge is a necessary task to
set up students for success to learn new math concepts later on in the year.
The place value math mystery “Case of The Puzzled Pirate” has been built as a
fun activity to practice and consolidate a variety of place value skills in
one. Its design for different levels allows for you to choose the best option
for your students.
Choose an earlier (or easier) grade level to refresh
students before starting a new Place value unit, or choose the level that meets
your standards to review content learned at the end of a unit. The added factor
of the mystery will help students try and persevere with challenging sections,
and will help you gauge just how much your students know (or don’t!)
Click the link to view the bonus free video hook that comes with
"Case of The Puzzled Pirate":
Practice Makes Perfect! – Kelly Malloy
Once your students have mastered the place value
skills required for your grade level, you will want to make sure to practice
and review them so that they don’t lose them! I Have, Who Has games are a great
way to practice skills in the classroom. They are a great whole group activity
that can be used for review, test prep, fluency, listening skills, and mental
math. My students and I love using
these games to review our skills and place value is no exception.
I have a special freebie Place Value I Have Who
has game that you can download here.
I also have Daily Math Review Resources for 1st through
5th grade that not only review place value, but other skills as
well! You can find them here.
