Lesson Plan
Place Value Power-Up Plan
The student will be able to identify the value of a digit based on its position in a multi-digit number (up to thousands place) and represent numbers using place value concepts.
Understanding where numbers live, or their 'place value,' helps you make sense of big numbers and is super important for adding, subtracting, and even multiplying later on! It's like knowing where all the pieces fit in a puzzle.
Audience
3rd Grade Student
Time
25 minutes
Approach
Hands-on activities and guided practice will demystify place value for the student.
Materials
Whiteboard or large paper, Dry-erase markers or regular markers, Digits on the Block Slide Deck, Build-a-Number Blocks Activity, and Value Detective Hunt Worksheet
Prep
Preparation Steps
10 minutes
- Review the entire Place Value Power-Up Plan Lesson Plan to ensure familiarity with all steps and materials.
- Prepare the whiteboard or large paper for writing numbers.
- Have markers ready.
- Open the Digits on the Block Slide Deck on a device for presentation.
- Print out or prepare digital copies of the Build-a-Number Blocks Activity and Value Detective Hunt Worksheet.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Number Scramble
3 minutes
- Teacher: "Let's start with a quick game! I'm going to say a number, and you tell me how many hundreds, tens, and ones are in it. For example, if I say '147', you say '1 hundred, 4 tens, 7 ones.'"
- Present a few numbers (e.g., 235, 78, 401) to gauge the student's prior knowledge.
- Teacher: "Great job! Today, we're going to become 'Place Value Power-Ups' and learn exactly 'Where Do Numbers Live?' to make even bigger numbers easy-peasy."
Step 2
Introduction: Digits on the Block
7 minutes
- Display the Digits on the Block Slide Deck.
- Teacher: "Imagine each number lives in its own 'house' on a street. The street has different 'blocks' for ones, tens, hundreds, and even thousands. Let's look at our first slide."
- Go through the slides, explaining how the position of a digit changes its value (e.g., the '2' in 20, 200, 2000).
- Use examples like 345, pointing out the value of each digit.
- Teacher: "See how the same digit, like a '5', means something different depending on which 'block' it lives on? That's place value!"
Step 3
Activity: Build-a-Number Blocks
8 minutes
- Introduce the Build-a-Number Blocks Activity.
- Teacher: "Now it's your turn to build some numbers! Using our special blocks (or drawing them if we don't have physical ones), I'll give you a number, and you show me how to build it using hundreds, tens, and ones."
- Provide numbers for the student to build (e.g., 123, 405, 270, 1348).
- Guide the student, asking questions like: "Where would the '4' go in 405? What block does it live on? What's its value there?"
Step 4
Practice: Value Detective Hunt
5 minutes
- Distribute the Value Detective Hunt Worksheet.
- Teacher: "You've been an amazing builder, and now it's time to be a 'Value Detective'! On this worksheet, you'll see some numbers, and I want you to find the value of the underlined digit. It's like finding a hidden treasure!"
- Guide the student through the first one or two problems to ensure understanding.
- Allow the student to work independently, offering support as needed.
Step 5
Cool-Down: Place Value Power-Up
2 minutes
- Teacher: "Excellent work today, Value Detective! Can you tell me in your own words why knowing 'Where Do Numbers Live?' is so important? What did you learn today about place value that you found interesting?"
- Listen to the student's response and reinforce key concepts. Provide positive feedback on their effort and understanding.
- Teacher: "You've powered up your place value skills! Keep an eye out for place value in your everyday life, you'll see it everywhere!"
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Slide Deck
Where Do Numbers Live?
Let's explore the secret homes of numbers!
Welcome the student and get them excited about exploring where numbers live. Ask them if they've ever wondered why numbers look different when they move around.
Meet Our Number Street!
Every digit has a special place.
Just like you have a home, numbers have homes too!
Their home tells us their value.
Explain that numbers don't just sit there; they have a 'job' depending on their spot. Use an analogy like houses on a street.
The Ones Block
The first house on the right is for the 'Ones.'
It holds single items, from 0 to 9.
Example: In the number 7, the 7 lives in the Ones Block.
Introduce the Ones Place. Use single blocks or drawings to represent. Emphasize it's the rightmost spot.
The Tens Block
Next door is the 'Tens' house.
When you have 10 ones, they move here and become 1 ten!
Example: In 25, the 2 lives in the Tens Block, meaning 20.
Introduce the Tens Place. Explain how 10 ones make 1 ten. Use bundles of ten sticks or long blocks.
The Hundreds Block
Further down the street is the 'Hundreds' house.
10 tens make 1 hundred!
Example: In 345, the 3 lives in the Hundreds Block, meaning 300.
Introduce the Hundreds Place. Explain 10 tens make 1 hundred. Use flat blocks or squares to represent.
Let's Find Their Homes! (Example)
Look at the number 427.
Where does the 7 live? What's its value?
Where does the 2 live? What's its value?
Where does the 4 live? What's its value?
Show an example number and break it down. Ask the student to identify the place and value of each digit. Encourage interaction.
The Thousands Block (Bigger Homes!)
For even bigger numbers, we have the 'Thousands' house!
10 hundreds make 1 thousand.
Example: In 1,345, the 1 lives in the Thousands Block, meaning 1,000.
Introduce the Thousands Place. Briefly explain 10 hundreds make 1 thousand. Use a large cube or a group of hundreds.
Why Does This Matter?
The place of a digit changes how much it's worth!
It helps us understand big numbers.
It's a super-power for all your math adventures!
Reinforce the main idea that a digit's place determines its value. Connect to real-world examples if possible (e.g., money, measuring).
You're a Place Value Pro!
Now you know where numbers live!
Ready to build some numbers yourself?
Conclude with a positive message and transition to the activity.
Activity
Build-a-Number Blocks Challenge!
Objective: Use your place value knowledge to build numbers using imaginary (or real!) blocks representing ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands.
Materials:
- Imaginary blocks (or actual base-ten blocks if available)
- Pencil and paper (for drawing if not using physical blocks)
Instructions:
Your teacher will give you a number. Your mission is to show how that number is built using ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands!
Challenge 1: Two-Digit Numbers
Teacher gives: 47
- How many tens blocks do you need?
- How many ones blocks do you need?
Teacher gives: 83
- How many tens blocks do you need?
- How many ones blocks do you need?
Challenge 2: Three-Digit Numbers
Teacher gives: 256
- How many hundreds blocks do you need?
- How many tens blocks do you need?
- How many ones blocks do you need?
Teacher gives: 704
- How many hundreds blocks do you need?
- How many tens blocks do you need?
- How many ones blocks do you need?
Challenge 3: Four-Digit Numbers
Teacher gives: 1,328
- How many thousands blocks do you need?
- How many hundreds blocks do you need?
- How many tens blocks do you need?
- How many ones blocks do you need?
Teacher gives: 2,051
- How many thousands blocks do you need?
- How many hundreds blocks do you need?
- How many tens blocks do you need?
- How many ones blocks do you need?
Worksheet
Value Detective Hunt!
Objective: Be a super detective and find the true value of the underlined digit in each number!
Instructions:
Read each number carefully. The underlined digit is hiding its true value. Your job is to uncover it!
Example: In the number 123, the underlined digit is 2. Its value is 20.
-
345
What is the value of the underlined digit?
-
78
What is the value of the underlined digit?
-
901
What is the value of the underlined digit?
-
620
What is the value of the underlined digit?
-
1,572
What is the value of the underlined digit?
-
2,309
What is the value of the underlined digit?
-
4,000
What is the value of the underlined digit?
-
8,163
What is the value of the underlined digit?
Challenge Question!
Look at the number 5,555.
- What is the value of the first 5 (from the left)?
- What is the value of the second 5?
- What is the value of the third 5?
- What is the value of the fourth 5?
What do you notice about the value of the digit 5 in each place?