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Place Value Detectives

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Lesson Plan

Place Value Detectives Lesson Plan

Students will identify and represent place values up to the millions place in standard, expanded, and word form, then apply skills to decode and reconstruct mystery numbers.

Mastering multi-digit place value strengthens number sense, supports operations with large numbers, and connects to real-world math tasks. This engaging lesson builds that foundation.

Audience

5th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Direct teaching + hands-on detective challenge

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up

5 minutes

  • Display a random six-digit number on the board.
  • Highlight one digit and ask students to identify its value (e.g., the digit in the hundreds place).
  • Refer to the Base-10 Place-Value Chart as needed.

Step 2

Direct Instruction

10 minutes

  • Use the Base-10 Place-Value Chart to review positions from ones to millions.
  • Model writing a sample number in standard, expanded, and word form, thinking aloud each step.
  • Invite students to suggest numbers and practice converting with guidance.

Step 3

Detective Activity

10 minutes

  • Pair students and distribute the Mystery Number Detective Worksheet.
  • Students read place-value clues (e.g., “The digit in the ten-thousands place is 4”) and reconstruct each mystery number.
  • Record each number in standard, expanded, and word form.
  • Circulate to support pairs and check understanding.

Step 4

Exit Ticket

5 minutes

  • Hand out the Place Value Exit Ticket.
  • Students independently complete one problem converting a six-digit number into standard, expanded, and word form.
  • Collect tickets to assess individual mastery.
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Slide Deck

Place Value Detectives

Uncover the mysteries of place value up to the millions place and strengthen your number sense!

Welcome students and introduce today’s mission: to become Place Value Detectives. Explain that they will explore how digits represent different values up to the millions place.

Lesson Objectives

• Identify place values from ones to millions
• Represent numbers in standard, expanded, and word form
• Decode and reconstruct mystery numbers using clues

Review the learning targets so students know what success looks like.

Warm-Up Activity

  1. I’ll display a six-digit number on the board.
  2. I’ll highlight one digit; you tell me its place value and value (e.g., hundreds place = 3 × 100).
  3. Refer to the Base-10 Place-Value Chart as needed.

Explain that we’ll start with a quick warm-up to activate prior knowledge.

Review: Base-10 Place-Value Chart

Base-10 Place-Value Chart

• Ones • Tens • Hundreds • Thousands • Ten-Thousands • Hundred-Thousands • Millions

Project or hand out the Base-10 chart. Walk through each column from ones to millions.

Example Conversion

Number: 345,719

• Standard Form: 345,719
• Expanded Form: 300,000 + 40,000 + 5,000 + 700 + 10 + 9
• Word Form: three hundred forty-five thousand, seven hundred nineteen

Model the conversion process slowly, thinking aloud so students hear your reasoning.

Detective Activity

  1. Pair up and receive the Mystery Number Detective Worksheet.
  2. Read each clue (e.g., “The digit in the ten-thousands place is 4”).
  3. Reconstruct each mystery number and record it in all three forms.
  4. I’ll circulate to support and check your work.

Introduce the detective challenge and set expectations for collaboration and accuracy.

Exit Ticket

Complete one six-digit number conversion independently:
• Write in standard form
• Write in expanded form
• Write in word form

Hand in your completed Place Value Exit Ticket.

Explain that this exit ticket will show individual understanding. Remind students to work independently.

Great Work, Detectives!

Key Takeaways:
• Each digit’s position determines its value.
• We can represent numbers in multiple forms to show understanding.
• Place value skills help with addition, subtraction, and real-world math.

Praise students for their detective work. Reinforce the importance of place value in future math tasks.

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Worksheet

Base-10 Place-Value Chart

Use this chart to organize digits of any number from the ones place up to the millions place. Write one digit in each box to keep your number aligned.

MillionsHundred-ThousandsTen-ThousandsThousandsHundredsTensOnes

Example: To represent 345,719, you would place 3 in the Hundred-Thousands column, 4 in the Ten-Thousands column, 5 in the Thousands column, 7 in Hundreds, 1 in Tens, and 9 in Ones.

Once your digits are placed, you can read the number in standard form, write its expanded form, or spell it out in word form.

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Worksheet

Mystery Number Detective Worksheet

Use your detective skills to uncover each mystery number! Read the clues, reconstruct the number, and record it in Standard Form, Expanded Form, and Word Form. Use the Base-10 Place-Value Chart if you need help.

Mystery Number #1

Clues:

  1. The digit in the hundred-thousands place is 4.
  2. The digit in the ten-thousands place is 7.
  3. The digit in the thousands place is 2.
  4. The digit in the hundreds place is 9.
  5. The digit in the tens place is 5.
  6. The digit in the ones place is 3.

a) Standard Form: ________________


b) Expanded Form: ________________





c) Word Form: ___________________



Mystery Number #2

Clues:

  1. The digit in the millions place is 2.
  2. The digit in the hundred-thousands place is 0.
  3. The digit in the ten-thousands place is 6.
  4. The digit in the thousands place is 3.
  5. The digit in the hundreds place is 8.
  6. The digit in the tens place is 1.
  7. The digit in the ones place is 4.

a) Standard Form: ________________


b) Expanded Form: ________________








c) Word Form: ___________________



Mystery Number #3

Clues:

  • The digit in the hundred-thousands place is double the digit in the thousands place.
  • The digit in the ten-thousands place is 5.
  • The digit in the thousands place is 3.
  • The digit in the hundreds place is 0.
  • The digit in the tens place is 9.
  • The digit in the ones place is the same as the digit in the ten-thousands place.

a) Standard Form: ________________


b) Expanded Form: ________________








c) Word Form: ___________________



Mystery Number #4

Clues:

  1. The number is in the six-digit range.
  2. The digit in the hundred-thousands place is 8.
  3. The sum of the digits in the ten-thousands and thousands places is 9.
  4. The digit in the hundreds place is one less than the digit in the tens place.
  5. The digit in the ones place is 2.

(Hint: There are two possible answers. Find both!)

First solution

a) Standard Form: ________________


b) Expanded Form: ________________








c) Word Form: ___________________



Second solution

a) Standard Form: ________________


b) Expanded Form: ________________








c) Word Form: ___________________



Create Your Own Mystery Number

Write clues for a partner to decode one seven-digit mystery number (millions through ones). Provide at least six clues using place-value language.

Clue 1: _______________________________________________


Clue 2: _______________________________________________


Clue 3: _______________________________________________


Clue 4: _______________________________________________


Clue 5: _______________________________________________


Clue 6: _______________________________________________


Your Mystery Number

Standard Form: ________________


Expanded Form: ________________








Word Form: ___________________



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Worksheet

Place Value Exit Ticket

Name: _______________________ Date: _______________

Below is a six-digit number. Show your understanding of place value by writing the number in Standard Form, Expanded Form, and Word Form.

Number: 482,305

a) Standard Form: _______________________


b) Expanded Form: _______________________





c) Word Form: ___________________________



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