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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Number Grid Game — Interactive Activity
Share this number grid game with your students to give them practice adding and subtracting ten and one from a given number.
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Ordering and Comparing Decimals With Models Worksheet Set
Utilize this ordering and comparing decimals with models worksheet set to introduce your students to multiple decimal representations.
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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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Decimal Place Value Chart With Base 10 Blocks
Utilize this decimal place value chart with base 10 blocks to introduce decimals with an engaging hands-on approach.
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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.
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Comparing Numbers Game — "Closer to You"
Play our comparing numbers game for a fun way to review comparing large numbers!
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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.
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Rounding Games (3rd Grade) — “Rounding Match-Up”
Explore rounding games 3rd grade and 4th grade students will love, like this “Rounding Match-Up” activity!
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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 Numbers Game (Whole Numbers)
Play our engaging rounding numbers game in your classroom to give your students practice 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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Place Value Cards - 10,000; 1,000; 100; 10; 1
Explore and expand 4 and 5-digit numbers with a set pf printable place value cards and suggested activities for small group instruction.
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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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Rounding Activity (Warm-Up Teaching Slides)
Use this digital rounding activity to review rounding numbers to the tens, hundreds, and thousands place.
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Rounding Large Numbers Game — Interactive Picture Reveal
Invite your students to play this rounding large numbers game to review rounding whole numbers up to the hundred thousands place.
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Rounding Whole Numbers Game — Create-Your-Own!
Share this create-your-own rounding whole numbers game with your students to give them practice rounding numbers up to the hundred thousands place.
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Rounding Numbers PPT — Rounding Roller Coaster Method
Present this roller coaster-themed rounding numbers PPT to your students to teach or review how to round large 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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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.
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Ordering Numbers Game (Numbers 1 - 10)
Play this ordering numbers game for a fun way to increase student skill in ordering numbers 1 - 10.
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Missing Number Hunt Activity (Ordering Numbers)
Use our number hunt activity to take your students on a hunt for missing numbers up to 120.
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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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Ordering Numbers Kindergarten and 1st Grade Activity
Share this ordering numbers kindergarten and 1st grade activity with your students to give them practice ordering numbers 0 to 20 or 0 to 120.
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Place Value Review Game — "Place Value Prowl!"
Play this place value review game called “Place Value Prowl” to review place value up to the hundred thousands place.
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Kindergarten Math Flip Book (Ordering Numbers)
Delight your students with this math flip book that will help them solidify their understanding of counting and ordering the numbers 1 through 20.
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Rounding Poster and Worksheet Set (Rounding Rock)
Display this rounding poster of the “Rounding Rock” in your classroom to encourage your students to rock out rounding!
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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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Caterpillar - Ordering Numbers Worksheets
Share these ordering numbers worksheets with your students to help them master sequencing numbers.
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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 practice ordering numbers up to 120.
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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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Ordering Large Numbers Sorting Activity
Practice ordering large numbers with this easy-to-prepare sorting activity.