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Digit Detectives

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Lesson Plan

Digit Detective Agency Briefing

Students will be able to identify the place value of digits in multi-digit numbers (up to thousands).

Understanding place value helps us understand how big or small a number is, and it's a super important skill for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing big numbers! It's like knowing what each ingredient does in a recipe.

Audience

3rd Grade Group

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Through direct instruction, interactive slides, and a fun game, students will practice identifying place values.

Materials

Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Spotting the Value Clues, Place Value Puzzles, and Puzzle Solutions Guide

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: Welcome, Detective!

5 minutes

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Slide Deck

Welcome, Digit Detectives!

Today, we're going to become expert Digit Detectives!
Our mission: To uncover the hidden value of each digit in a number.
Are you ready for the challenge?

Welcome the students and introduce the concept of being 'Digit Detectives.' Explain that today they will learn to find the 'value clues' of digits in numbers.

What's a Digit? What's a Number?

Digits are the building blocks of numbers!
Think of them like letters in a word.

The digits are: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

A number is made up of one or more digits.
Example: The number 345 has three digits: 3, 4, 5.

Review what a digit is (0-9) and what a number is. Use an example like 345 to show individual digits making up a number.

Place Value Power!

The place where a digit sits in a number tells us its value.

It's like sitting in different seats at a concert:
Front row seat = super important value!
Back row seat = still important, but a different value.

Let's look at the number 27.

Introduce the concept of place value using a simple example. Emphasize that a digit's position changes its value.

Uncovering Value: The Number 27

In the number 27:

The 7 is in the Ones Place.
Its value is 7 ones (which is just 7).

The 2 is in the Tens Place.
Its value is 2 tens (which is 20).

27 = 20 + 7

Break down the number 27 to show the tens and ones place. Ask students to identify the value of each digit.

Three-Digit Secrets: The Number 138

Let's crack the code for 138!

Where is the 8 sitting?
What's its value?

Where is the 3 sitting?
What's its value?

Where is the 1 sitting?
What's its value?

Introduce a three-digit number. Guide students to identify the hundreds, tens, and ones places and the value of each digit.

Revealed! The Values in 138

In 138:

The 8 is in the Ones Place. Its value is 8.

The 3 is in the Tens Place. Its value is 30.

The 1 is in the Hundreds Place. Its value is 100.

138 = 100 + 30 + 8

Reveal the answers for 138. Ensure students understand how each digit contributes to the total value.

Going Further: The Number 4,562

Our detective skills are improving!

Let's look at a bigger number: 4,562

What place do you think the 4 is in?
What about the 5, 6, and 2?

Think about their values!

Introduce a four-digit number, including the thousands place. Emphasize that the pattern continues.

Case Closed for 4,562!

In 4,562:

The 2 is in the Ones Place. Value: 2
The 6 is in the Tens Place. Value: 60
The 5 is in the Hundreds Place. Value: 500
The 4 is in the Thousands Place. Value: 4,000

4,562 = 4,000 + 500 + 60 + 2

Reveal the answers for 4,562. This solidifies their understanding of thousands place value.

Time for Action: Place Value Puzzles!

Now that you're expert Digit Detectives, it's time to solve some Place Value Puzzles!

Work together to uncover the value of the underlined digit in each number.

Good luck, detectives!

Explain that it's time to put their skills to the test with the 'Place Value Puzzles' game.

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Game

Place Value Puzzles: Digit Detective Challenge

Welcome, junior Digit Detectives! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to identify the true value of the underlined digit in each case. Use your super sleuth skills to crack the code!

Instructions: For each number, identify the place of the underlined digit and write down its value.

Case 1:

Number: 4**5**3

What is the value of the underlined digit?



Case 2:

Number: **7**2

What is the value of the underlined digit?



Case 3:

Number: 1,**8**09

What is the value of the underlined digit?



Case 4:

Number: 6,3**4**1

What is the value of the underlined digit?



Case 5:

Number: 9

What is the value of the underlined digit?



Case 6:

Number: 2,00**5**

What is the value of the underlined digit?



Case 7:

Number: **3**27

What is the value of the underlined digit?



Case 8:

Number: 5,**0**82

What is the value of the underlined digit?



Good work, detectives! Once you've solved all the puzzles, check your answers with the Puzzle Solutions Guide!

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Answer Key

Puzzle Solutions Guide: Digit Detective Answers

Great work, Digit Detectives! Use this guide to check your answers and see if you cracked the code for each digit's value.

Case 1: 4**5**3

  • Place: Tens Place
  • Value: The digit 5 is in the tens place, so its value is 5 tens, or 50.

Case 2: **7**2

  • Place: Tens Place
  • Value: The digit 7 is in the tens place, so its value is 7 tens, or 70.

Case 3: 1,**8**09

  • Place: Hundreds Place
  • Value: The digit 8 is in the hundreds place, so its value is 8 hundreds, or 800.

Case 4: 6,3**4**1

  • Place: Tens Place
  • Value: The digit 4 is in the tens place, so its value is 4 tens, or 40.

Case 5: 9

  • Place: Ones Place
  • Value: The digit 9 is in the ones place, so its value is 9 ones, or 9.

Case 6: 2,00**5**

  • Place: Ones Place
  • Value: The digit 5 is in the ones place, so its value is 5 ones, or 5.

Case 7: **3**27

  • Place: Hundreds Place
  • Value: The digit 3 is in the hundreds place, so its value is 3 hundreds, or 300.

Case 8: 5,**0**82

  • Place: Hundreds Place
  • Value: The digit 0 is in the hundreds place, so its value is 0 hundreds, or 0.

Well done, detectives! You've successfully identified the value of each digit. Keep practicing your place value skills! If any answers were tricky, review the Spotting the Value Clues again.

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