Place Value Teaching Resources
Browse place value charts, printable worksheets, games and more teaching resources created by teachers, for teachers like you.
This collection of curriculum-aligned and editable 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 math 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?
In math, 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, 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 math 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 3,245:
- 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 = 3,245.
Why Is Place Value Important?
Place value is an important concept for elementary 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 math 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 math concept is the place value chart! This visual teaching tool can be used to represent and organize numbers based on their value and position in a given number.
How to Use a Place Value Chart
A place value chart is typically divided into columns representing the different powers of 10 in our number system. Each column is labeled 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 corresponding 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.
Students can place a particular number in their place value chart, determine its value, and then figure out two-digit, three-digit, four-digit, and larger numbers.
To read a place value chart, students work their way left or right. For example, if you start from the "ones" place, you can go left one space to the "tens" place, then on to the "hundreds" place and so on. As students enter the intermediate grades, they begin to learn about numbers to the right of the decimal point (tenths, hundredths, thousandths, etc.).
Place Value vs. Face Value
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.
- Plus Plan
Easter Escape Room - 2nd Grade Math Review Game
Use this Easter Escape Room Game for 2nd graders to review place value, number sense, counting money, and other second grade math concepts.
- Plus Plan
Math Maze for Kindergarten Worksheet Set (Ordering Numbers to 20)
Share this math maze for kindergarten worksheet set with your students to give them practice ordering numbers from least to greatest.
- Plus Plan
Number Ordering Worksheets (Dot-to-Dot)
Share these dot-to-dot number ordering worksheets with your students to give them an engaging way to practice ordering two and three digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
5th Grade Math Review – Google Slides Interactive Activity
Review important 5th-grade math standards with a student-led interactive activity that covers 12 different mathematical concepts.
- Free Plan
Place Value Work Mat
Practice place value concepts with this work mat for students.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Numbers Activity (Escape Room)
Play our rounding numbers activity in your classroom to engage students as they practice and extend their rounding and critical thinking skills.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Castle Activity
Help students consolidate their understanding of hundreds, tens and ones with this fun place value castle activity.
- Free Plan
Rounding to the Nearest 100 Worksheet
Help your students find the correct bone for each dog by rounding to the nearest hundreds place with this math worksheet designed for 3rd and 4th-grade students.
- Free Plan
Representing Two-Digit Numbers - Place Value Worksheet
A set of worksheets for students to use when learning about place value and the different way two-digit numbers can be represented.
- Plus Plan
2-Digit Number of the Day Worksheet
A 2-digit place value worksheet to represent the number of the day in different ways.
- Plus Plan
Math Bulletin Board Activities - Display Pack
Implement daily math review easily using our Math Bulletin Board Activities Display.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Color by Number Worksheets
Share these place value color by number worksheets with your students for a fun way to review place value up to the hundred thousands place.
- Plus Plan
Ordering Numbers Game (Numbers 1 - 10)
Play this ordering numbers game for a fun way to increase student skill in ordering numbers 1 - 10.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Poster Set — Whole Numbers
Display this colorful place value poster set in your classroom to remind your students of place values to the millions and billions.
- Plus Plan
Ordering Large Numbers Sorting Activity
Practice ordering large numbers with this easy-to-prepare sorting activity.
- Plus Plan
Alien Ordering Numbers Cards (Numbers 1 - 20)
Beam these ordering numbers cards to your students for some far-out fun!
- Free Plan
2-Digit Numbers in Expanded Form Worksheet
Explore two-digit numbers in standard form and expanded form with this set of two cut-and-paste style worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Expanded Form Interactive Task Cards
Explore expanding numbers with your students using these interactive task cards, reviewing numbers in expanded form and place value charts.
- Plus Plan
Number of the Day Worksheet
Explore 3, 4, 5, and 6-digit numbers using this number of the day worksheet with your students.
- Plus Plan
3-Digit Place Value Mini-Book
Explore place value in 3-digit numbers with this place value mini-book.
- Free Plan
Find a Friend Expanded Form Worksheet
Explore expanding 2-digit to 6-digit numbers with your students with this expanding form active worksheet.
- Plus Plan
2-Digit Number of the Day - Spiral Review
Review a variety of second-grade math concepts with a Number of the Day slide deck and recording sheet.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Anchor Charts - Using a Vertical Number Line
Display how to round numbers to different places using a vertical number line with a set of posters.
- Plus Plan
Number, Word, and Base Ten Forms - St. Patrick's Day Activity
Have some fun matching number, word, and base-ten forms with a fun St. Patrick's Day activity.
- Plus Plan
5th Grade Math Review – Test Prep Packet
Encourage your students to work through 8 pages of 5th-grade math problems while charting their progress to measure their success.
- Plus Plan
3-Digit Number of the Day Worksheet
A 3-digit place value worksheet to represent the number of the day in different ways.
- Plus Plan
Tens and Ones - Worksheet
A worksheet for students to use when learning about tens and ones.
- Free Plan
0-9 Digit Cards
A set of 0-9 digit cards to be used for numeracy games in the classroom.
- Plus Plan
Halloween Board Game - 2nd Grade Place Value
Review number forms and place value concepts with a Halloween Board Game!
- Plus Plan
Dividing and Multiplying by Powers of 10 Game
Play this dividing and multiplying by powers of 10 game to give students practice multiplying and dividing whole numbers by 10, 100, and 1,000.
- Plus Plan
Multiplying by Powers of 10 Worksheet Set
Use our multiplying by powers of 10 worksheet set to give your students practice multiplying whole numbers by 10, 100, and 1,000.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Patterns Worksheet
Use this place value patterns worksheet to help your students analyze patterns in decimal place values out to the thousandths place.