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.
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Place Value Charts — Printable Math Mats
Practice place value concepts, addition, and subtraction with a printable set of free place value charts.
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Math Graphic Organizers - Printable Work Mats
Practice working on specific math concepts with our set of 5 printable math graphic organizers.
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Rounding to the Nearest Ten, Hundred, and Thousand - Worksheet
Review rounding concepts with a worksheet covering rounding to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand.
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2-Digit Place Value Game - Interactive Slide Deck
Review various first-grade place value concepts with an interactive place value warmup.
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Money Place Value Chart Activity Set
“Bank” on this money place value chart activity set to make teaching decimal concepts a breeze!
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Rounding PPT — "Rounding With Reasoning"
Use this engaging rounding PPT to teach your students to round with reasoning — not rules!
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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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I Have, Who Has? Game - Place Value (3-Digit Numbers)
Play an exciting I Have, Who Has? Place Value Game to help your students practice their skills with reading and writing three-digit numbers.
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5-Digit Place Value Math Game - I Have, Who Has?
Use a 5-Digit Place Value Math game to engage your students and practice identifying and reading five digit numbers.
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Ordering Numbers 1-10 "To the Moon!" Game
Play this ordering numbers 1-10 game with your students for a fun way to practice ordering numbers up to 10.
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Ordering Numbers Cut-and-Paste Worksheets
Give students our ordering numbers cut and paste worksheets for a fun way to practice ordering numbers 1 through 100.
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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.
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Sequencing Activities — Numbers 1 - 9 Sausage Dog
Use our sequencing activities like this sausage dog to help your students practice ordering the numbers 1 - 9.
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Expanded Notation Classroom Poster
Explore the world of expanded notation with a printable classroom poster that easily explains the concept for students!
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3-Digit Number Form Sorting Activity
Engage with different forms of 3-digit numbers with this sorting activity.
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Double Digit Numbers Mystery Worksheet
Explore double digit place value with this fun clue based mystery worksheet for your students.
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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.
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Place Value Paper Turkey Craft
Make a flock of silly turkey crafts and review place value concepts with a printable Place Value Turkey Template!
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Roll and Expand Numbers Worksheet Pack
Explore place value with your students using this set of leveled expanding numbers worksheets.
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Rounding Rainbow – Classroom Poster and Differentiated Worksheet Pack
Download this set of differentiated rounding worksheets and accompanying poster for your math classroom.
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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.
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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.
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Rounding Numbers – Math Mazes
Round numbers to various places while finding your way through this set of 5 math mazes.
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3-Digit Number Forms Worksheet
Help students practice their knowledge of 3-digit numbers with this place value worksheet that covers base ten blocks, standard form, and expanded form.
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Flip, Draw, Expand! – Place Value Worksheet (5-Digit Numbers)
Build and expand 5-digit numbers using base-10 blocks to strengthen place value skills.
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3-Digit Roll It, Make It, Expand It! - Place Value Worksheet
A worksheet for students to use when learning about the place value of three-digit numbers.
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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.
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4-Digit Place Value - Assessment
Assess your students' knowledge of place value to the thousands place with this open-ended worksheet.
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Exploring 4-Digit Place Value PowerPoint
A 31-slide PowerPoint template to use when exploring place value to the thousands place.
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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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Place Value Bingo Game Numbers 0-10,000
Practice place value knowledge in numbers up to 10,000 with this set of bingo cards.
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Halloween Board Game - 2nd Grade Place Value
Review number forms and place value concepts with a Halloween Board Game!