Let’s talk place value.
Place value is a CRUCIAL concept for students to grasp to build a strong number sense that will help them for the rest of their lives! Place value may seem like a simple concept, but it forms the bedrock of mathematical understanding. It’s the key to making sense of our number system and performing operations with ease.
One way that I love to teach math is having students work fluidly through the CPA approach. The concrete (hands on) phase, then the pictorial (pictures) phase, then the abstract (numbers) phase. I want to show you a few ways that I help deepen that understanding.
CPA & Place Value:
Concrete: Students are building with base ten blocks. I will ask students to make a particular number and then they have to represent that. I will ask them to tell me what my (or a classmate) base ten blocks represented. It is so important that students are moving, touching, and building with manipulatives.
Pictorial: This is where students will draw their own base ten blocks to help represent a given number. You can give them a number, have a classmate give them a number, pair them up in partners, etc.
Abstract: This may be asking questions about comparing numbers, finding the value of a given digit, etc. Since students have built knowledge and conceptual understanding about place value in the C & P stage, the abstract stage should make more sense to them.
Remember, CPA is fluid. You will move throughout each stage throughout units and even lessons at times. You know your students best! 🙂
Place Value Anchor Charts:
In this activity students will work on finding the value of a digit through a basketball themed lesson. I talk about how in basketball, when you shoot a basket, each basket can have a different value depending on where you are on the court. We talk about the ball going through the hoop as 49, means the value of the 4 is 40 because the digit 4 is in the tens place. We dressed up as basketball players and had a whole themed day to really enhance the engagement!
More Anchor Charts:
Place Value Monsters: I love making math as hands on as possible and this activity was SO engaging and easy to do! I used this in small or whole group but you will need to make sure you have enough base ten blocks if you do it with whole group. You can always have students work together if needed!
Students will be given a number and have to create a robot or monster with their place value blocks that represent the given number. It is such a fun way to talk about numbers and math all while having fun! Such a win win! You can grab the FREEBIE by clicking HERE or on the photo below.
Place Value Centers: Anytime that I can make math more hands on, I try to do so! These easy centers were perfect to incorporate into my rotations and small groups. I mean truly, what kid doesn’t love playing “games” during math?!
Place Value Game: Last Number Standing
1.) Have students stand at their desks and write a number on a piece of paper or whiteboard (if you are working with two digits, do a two digit number, three digits, do a three digit number, and so on!)
2.) You will start to call out different place value amounts. For example, you would say, “if you have a 4 in the tens place, sit down” and any student who wrote a 4 in the tens place, would have to sit.
3.) You will continue to call out different place value amounts until only one student is left standing. That student will then read their number that is the last number standing!
If you are interested in my entire place value bundle, check it out here!
I hope you enjoyed those few ideas about place value and can incorporate them into your classroom!
