Lesson Plan
Building Numbers: Base Ten Bonanza!
Students will be able to represent numbers up to the thousands place using base ten blocks and understand the value of each digit based on its position.
Understanding place value is fundamental to all arithmetic operations. Base ten blocks provide a visual and tactile way to grasp this essential concept, making abstract numbers concrete.
Audience
4th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Hands-on exploration and guided practice.
Materials
Base Ten Blocks (physical or virtual), Slide Deck: Building Numbers, Worksheet: Base Ten Practice, and Answer Key: Base Ten Practice
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Gather enough base ten blocks (units, rods, flats, cubes) for each student or small group, or ensure access to a virtual base ten block manipulative.
* Review the Slide Deck: Building Numbers and practice the script.
* Print copies of the Worksheet: Base Ten Practice and Answer Key: Base Ten Practice.
Step 1
Warm-Up: What's a Digit Worth?
5 minutes
- Begin by asking students: "What does each number in '247' really mean?" Allow students to share their initial thoughts.
* Introduce the idea of place value – the idea that a digit's position gives it its value.
* Transition to showing how base ten blocks help us see this value. (Refer to Slide Deck: Building Numbers Slide 1-2)
Step 2
Introduction to Base Ten Blocks
7 minutes
- Display and explain each type of base ten block: unit (ones), rod (tens), flat (hundreds), and cube (thousands).
* Emphasize that 10 units make a rod, 10 rods make a flat, and 10 flats make a cube. This reinforces the 'base ten' system.
* Show examples of how to represent simple numbers (e.g., 3, 25, 134) with the blocks. (Refer to Slide Deck: Building Numbers Slide 3-5)
Step 3
Guided Practice: Building Numbers Together
8 minutes
- Present a few numbers and have students, either individually or in small groups, build them using their base ten blocks.
* Start with numbers like 56, then 231, and finally 1,403.
* As they build, ask questions like: "How many hundreds did you use for 231? Why?"
* Circulate to observe and provide support. (Refer to Slide Deck: Building Numbers Slide 6-8)
Step 4
Independent Practice: Worksheet Time
7 minutes
- Distribute the Worksheet: Base Ten Practice.
* Explain that students will first use base ten blocks to build the numbers, then draw or write their representation on the worksheet.
* Monitor students as they work. Provide individual assistance as needed.
* Remind them to show their work clearly. (Refer to Slide Deck: Building Numbers Slide 9)
Step 5
Cool Down: Quick Check
3 minutes
- Ask students to quickly use their base ten blocks to build one specific number (e.g., 345) and then draw or write their representation on an exit ticket or a small piece of paper.
* Collect these as a quick assessment of understanding.
* Briefly review one of the worksheet problems using the Answer Key: Base Ten Practice. (Refer to Slide Deck: Building Numbers Slide 10)
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Slide Deck
What's a Number Worth?
If we see the number 247, what does each digit (2, 4, and 7) really mean?
Turn and talk to a partner!
Greet students and start with an open-ended question to activate prior knowledge about numbers and their parts.
Place Value Power!
Every digit has a place in a number.
And that place gives the digit its value!
Today, we'll use special blocks to see this value!
Introduce the concept of place value and explain how base ten blocks help visualize it. Emphasize that the place of a digit gives it its value.
Meet the Units!
This small cube is a Unit.
It represents 1 (one).
It's our starting point for building all numbers!
Introduce the unit block and its value. Show a physical example if available, or point to an image.
Next Up: The Rods!
When we have 10 Units, they link up to make a Rod.
A Rod represents 10 (ten).
Think of it as a group of ten ones!
Introduce the rod and explain its relationship to units (10 units = 1 rod). Show an example.
The Big Flat!
And when we have 10 Rods, they form a Flat.
A Flat represents 100 (one hundred).
It's a square made of ten tens!
Introduce the flat and explain its relationship to rods (10 rods = 1 flat) or units (100 units = 1 flat). Show an example.
The Super Cube!
Finally, 10 Flats combine to make a Cube.
A Cube represents 1,000 (one thousand).
This is how we show big numbers!
Introduce the cube and explain its relationship to flats (10 flats = 1 cube) or units (1000 units = 1 cube). Show an example.
Let's Build! (Part 1)
Using your base ten blocks, show the number 56.
How many rods? How many units?
Guide students to build 56 with their blocks. Walk around and check their understanding.
Let's Build! (Part 2)
Now, let's build the number 231.
Which blocks will you use? How many of each?
Guide students to build 231. Emphasize using flats, rods, and units.
Let's Build! (Part 3)
Ready for a challenge? Show 1,403.
What do you do when there's a zero in a place?
Challenge students with 1,403, specifically addressing the zero in the tens place.
Your Turn! Practice Time
Now it's your turn to practice representing numbers! First, use your base ten blocks to build the numbers, then complete the Worksheet: Base Ten Practice by drawing or writing how you would show them.
Introduce the worksheet and explain expectations for independent practice. Emphasize using the blocks first, then recording.
Cool Down: Show What You Know!
On a piece of paper, use your base ten blocks to build the number 345, then draw or write your representation!
Assign a quick exit ticket number for students to build and then represent. Collect them to gauge understanding.
Worksheet
Base Ten Practice
Name: _________________________
Directions: For each number below, draw or write to show how you would represent it using base ten blocks. Remember the units, rods, flats, and cubes!
1. 38
2. 125
3. 407
4. 2,160
5. If you have 3 flats, 1 rod, and 7 units, what number have you built?
6. Explain in your own words why we use base ten blocks to learn about numbers.
Answer Key
Base Ten Practice Answer Key
Directions: Here are the correct representations for each number using base ten blocks.
1. 38
- Thought Process: The number 38 has a '3' in the tens place and an '8' in the ones place. Therefore, we need 3 rods (for 3 tens) and 8 units (for 8 ones).
- Answer: 3 rods, 8 units
2. 125
- Thought Process: The number 125 has a '1' in the hundreds place, a '2' in the tens place, and a '5' in the ones place. So, we need 1 flat, 2 rods, and 5 units.
- Answer: 1 flat, 2 rods, 5 units
3. 407
- Thought Process: The number 407 has a '4' in the hundreds place, a '0' in the tens place, and a '7' in the ones place. The zero in the tens place means we don't use any rods. So, we need 4 flats and 7 units.
- Answer: 4 flats, 0 rods, 7 units (or simply 4 flats and 7 units)
4. 2,160
- Thought Process: The number 2,160 has a '2' in the thousands place, a '1' in the hundreds place, a '6' in the tens place, and a '0' in the ones place. The zero in the ones place means we don't use any units. So, we need 2 cubes, 1 flat, and 6 rods.
- Answer: 2 cubes, 1 flat, 6 rods, 0 units (or simply 2 cubes, 1 flat, and 6 rods)
5. If you have 3 flats, 1 rod, and 7 units, what number have you built?
- Thought Process: 3 flats represent 300. 1 rod represents 10. 7 units represent 7. Adding these values together: 300 + 10 + 7 = 317.
- Answer: 317
6. Explain in your own words why we use base ten blocks to learn about numbers.
- Thought Process: Students should explain that the blocks help them 'see' the value of each digit and understand how numbers are made up of groups of ones, tens, hundreds, etc. They make abstract concepts concrete.
- Answer: (Answers may vary but should include ideas like: Base ten blocks help us see what numbers mean. They show us how many ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands are in a number, which makes it easier to understand place value and how to add or subtract later.)