Place Value Teaching Resources
Browse place value charts, printable worksheets, games and more teaching resources aligned to the Australian curriculum.
This collection of teacher-created resources has been carefully reviewed by the expert teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure every single one is ready to use in the classroom. That means you can save hours on lesson planning with activities ready to print or use digitally!
Want to learn more about this section of the maths curriculum, or just looking for fresh ideas to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look at the meaning of place value and tips on teaching place value in the classroom!
What Is Place Value? A Kid-Friendly Definition
When it comes time to teach place value, it helps to have a simple definition to use to introduce this core maths concept to your class. Here's how we explain the meaning to our students:
In maths, the term place value refers to the value of a digit in relation to its position in a number. For example, in the decimal system (also referred to as the Hindu-Arabic system), which is based on powers of 10, the value of a digit in a number depends on its position relative to the decimal point, as follows:
- The digit in the ones place has a value of 1 times the digit.
- The digit in the tens place has a value of 10 times the digit.
- The digit in the hundreds place has a value of 100 times the digit.
- The digit in the thousands place has a value of 1000 times the digit.
- And so on.
Place Value Example
Like most maths concepts, looking at place value examples with your students is key to helping them understand the concept. So let's look at an example of place value using the number 3245:
- 3 is in the thousands place
- 2 is in the hundreds place
- 4 is in the tens place
- 5 is in the ones place
Therefore, its value can be calculated as:
(3 x 1000) + (2 x 100) + (4 x 10) + (5 x 1) = 3000 +200 +40 + 5 = 3245.
Why Is Place Value Important?
Place value is an important concept for primary students to understand, as it is a major factor in understanding numbers and their overall value.
Understanding place value is also essential for performing the four maths operations, and it will help students as they move on toward working with decimal fractions, scientific notation and other mathematical concepts.
What Is a Place Value Chart?
A handy tool for teaching this maths concept is the place value chart! This visual teaching tool can be used to represent and organise numbers based on their value and position in a given number.
A place value chart is typically divided into columns representing the different powers of 10 in our number system. Each column is labelled with the name of the place value it represents (e.g. ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.) and contains a series of boxes or cells — each of which corresponds to a single digit.
The rightmost column will represent the ones place, the next column to the left will represent the tens place, the next represents the hundreds place, and so on.
Place Value vs. Face Value — What's the Difference?
At some point, your students may ask about face value — after all, the terms sound similar! So are they interchangeable? The answer is no.
Face value and place value — despite their similar names — are not the same, but they are related.
As we've already noted, the place value of a digit tells us the value of that digit based on its position in a number. The place value of a digit changes depending on where it is in the number.
On the other hand, the face value of a digit tells us the actual value of the digit itself, regardless of its position in the number. So, for example, in the number 357, the face value of the digit 5 is simply 5.
In essence, place value is what helps us understand the value of a number based on the position of its digits, but face value is what helps us understand the value of individual digits in a number.
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Building 2-Digit Numbers Dice Game
Teach your students about place value in two-digit numbers with this engaging dice game featuring Base 10 blocks.
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Place Value Castle Activity
Help students consolidate their understanding of hundreds, tens and ones with this fun place value castle activity.
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Daily Spiral Maths Worksheet (3-4)
Review a variety of place value and number sense standards with a daily spiral maths review worksheet.
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I Have, Who Has? 4 Digit Place Value Game
Explore numbers up to 4-digits with this fun whole class place value game of 'I have, Who Has?'
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How to Write 2-Digit and 3-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Explore how to represent number values in standard form, word form, expanded form, and picture form with this multipurpose place value worksheet.
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Rounding Numbers – Maths Mazes
Round numbers to various places while finding your way through this set of 5 maths mazes.
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Place Value Wall Display
A place value wall display for the classroom.
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Place Value Banner - Billions to Thousandths
A banner that displays extended place value.
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3-Digit Place Value Warm Up - Interactive PowerPoint
An engaging 44 slide interactive PowerPoint to use when learning about place value to 3-digits.
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Place Value STEM Challenge - Number Forms
Show numbers in picture, word, and expanded forms with an engaging Place Value S.T.E.M. Activity!
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Tens and Ones - MAB Worksheet
A numeracy worksheet for students to use when learning about tens and ones.
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Comparing Numbers - Halloween Maths Worksheets
Comparing numbers just got a little creepier with exciting Halloween maths worksheets.
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Halloween Board Game - Year 2 Place Value
Review Year 2 number forms and place value concepts with a Halloween Board Game!
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Multiplying and Dividing by Powers of 10 Game
Play this multiplying and dividing by powers of 10 game to give students practice multiplying and dividing whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1000.
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Number Grid Interactive Activity
Share this number grid interactive activity with your students to give them practice adding and subtracting ten and one from a given number.
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Games for Rounding — 'Rounding Match-Up'
Explore games for rounding your students will love, like this 'Rounding Match-Up' activity!
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Interactive Rounding Game — "Four Corners"
Play this interactive rounding game with your class or assign it to individual students for a fun way to practise rounding whole numbers.
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Rounding With a Number Line Teaching Slides (Large Numbers)
Teach rounding with a number line using this set of teaching slides featuring numbers up the hundred thousands.
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Rounding Anchor Chart — Rounding Roller Coaster!
Hang our rounding anchor chart in your classroom for a fun reminder of how to round numbers — roller coaster style!
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Ordering Numbers 1 to 10 "To The Moon" Game
Play this ordering numbers 1 to 10 game with your students for a fun way to practise ordering numbers up to 10.
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Ordering 2-Digit Numbers Interactive Task Cards
Download our Ordering 2-Digit Numbers Interactive Task Cards for an engaging way to practise ordering numbers up to 120.
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Expanded Notation Poster
Explore the world of expanded notation with a printable classroom poster that easily explains the concept for students!
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Place Value Spin Activity
Practise identifying the number of 'tens' and 'ones' in two-digit numbers with this fun spin activity.
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Expanded Form Teaching Slides
Teach your students about how to represent numbers in expanded form with this set of engaging teaching slides.
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3-Digit Place Value Cover Up Game
Engage students in understanding place value to the hundreds with this place value card game.
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2 Digit Place Value Puzzles
Teach students the different representations of 2-digit numbers with this place value puzzle.
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Writing Numbers in Expanded Form Interactive Activity
Help students master reading and writing numbers up to 6 digits with this expanded form interactive activity.
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Find a Friend Expanded Form Worksheet
Explore expanding 2-digit to 6-digit numbers with your students with this expanding form active worksheet.
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Expanded Form Poster Set
Teach students what it looks like to expand 2-digit, 3-digit, 4-digit, 5-digit and 6-digit numbers with this set of classroom posters.
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Expanded Form Interactive Activity
Explore 3-digit, 4-digit and 5-digit numbers in their expanded form with this fun space-themed interactive activity.
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Roll and Round Dice Game Set of 7 Rounding Games
Help your student refine their rounding skills with this set of 7 printable maths games.
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Place Value to the Thousands Place - Maths Mats
Practise place value concepts, addition and subtraction with a printable set of place value charts.