Place Value to the Thousands Place (Review Activity)

Students will use number cards with the digits 0-9, and a place value chart with thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones columns to play this game using place value.

A lesson plan for grade 3 Mathematics

By Beth Evans

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• use cards with the digits 0-9 to make numbers on their place value charts.
• read and compare these numbers.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

Each student will need a place value chart that shows thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones. They will also need a set of cards that show the numbers 0-9. These numbers should be small enough to fit on the place value chart.

Technology resources

None

Pre-activities

Students should have already had experience with making numbers using a place value mat and numeration set. They should understand that a one is equal to 1 small cube, a ten is equal to one rod, a hundred is equal to one flat, and a thousand is equal to one large cube.

When I did this activity with my students, I had already worked with them on expanded notation. This hands-on activity helped the students gain a better understanding of the abstract concept of place value.

Activities

I assign students a partner to work with, making sure that I put students together who can work compatibly. I tell the students that they can work together and discuss their answers.

Next, I call out four numbers and ask the students to make the smallest number possible on their charts. For example, with the digits 2, 7, 4, and 9 the smallest number would be 2,479. Then I ask them to find the largest number. (9,742) You can also ask them to make a number with a 2 in the hundreds place. I walk around while they are working and I can tell who is having trouble by what I see on their mats. Next, I let the students take turns giving four numbers for us to put on our charts.

Here is a list of additional challenges that you can use with this activity:

1. Make a 4-digit number that is less than 2000. (i.e.using the digits: 9,2,5,0)
2. Make a 4-digit number that is greater than 1500. (i.e.using the digits: 5,7,1,9)
3. Make a 3-digit number that is greater than 650. (i.e.using the digits: 368)
4. Make a 3-digit number that has a 0 in the tens place. (i.e.using the digits 0,6,3)
5. Make a 4-digit number that is an even number, and is greater than 4000. (i.e.using the digits: 3,7,4,1)
6. Make a 4-digit number that is an odd number, and is less than 2500. (i.e.using the digits: 1,4,2,6)
7. What number is closest to 4000? (i.e. using digits 2,9,3,4)

You can add to this list of challenges to make the activity longer if the students are asking for more.

The students are usually very interested in this activity, and I can tell they are much more likely to give me a correct answer when we do paper and pencil activities on place value.

We pull out these charts and cards periodically to practice place value. They like to repeat this activity more than one time.

Assessment

As the students are working on this activity, I walk around, meeting with each set of partners, asking them questions. I can tell by what they put on their charts, if they understand the concept of place value. The students that are struggling still, will be pulled out in small group at a later time to work with my assistant or me. We will go back to the place value mats with the numeration sets, and I will ask the students to show me a number such as 153, on their mats. We’ll keep practicing until the students feel more comfortable with this concept.

Supplemental information

None

Related websites

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Comments

I have discovered that when the students can play this game with place value, they are much more motivated to learn this hard concept.