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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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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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 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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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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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 Two-Digit Numbers Task Cards (Numbers 1 - 120)
Utilize these Ordering Two-Digit Numbers Task Cards in a unit on comparing and ordering numbers to 120.
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Order Numbers From Least to Greatest Task Cards (Numbers 1 - 20)
Order numbers from least to greatest with these task cards for numbers 1 - 20.
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Alien Ordering Numbers Cards (Numbers 1 - 20)
Beam these ordering numbers cards to your students for some far-out fun!
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Place Value Pizza - Math Craft
Demonstrate understanding of the different ways to model three-digit numbers with a fun Place Value Pizza math craft activity.
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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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Place Value STEM Challenge - Number Forms
Build, write, and read 3-digit numbers in base ten, word, and expanded forms with an engaging Place Value Building Project!
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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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Which Is More? Counting Card Game
Compare and order numbers to 20 with this set of counting cards.
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3-Digit Number Expander Template (Peacock)
Explore 3-digit numbers with this cute foldable peacock number expander for your students.
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3-Digit Number Expander Template (Bat)
Explore 3-digit numbers with this cute foldable bat number expander for your students.
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4-Digit Number Poster Set
Display this set of posters to help students remember the processes for reading and writing numbers up to 10,000 using base-ten blocks as well as standard, word, and expanded forms.
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4-Digit Mystery Numbers Interactive Activity
Explore 4-digit numbers with this fun mystery-themed interactive activity .
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3-Digit Numbers Interactive Activity
Practice knowledge of 3-digit numbers with this interactive activity exploring standard form, expanded form, word form and base ten form.
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3-Digit Interactive Clip Cards
Practice knowledge of 3-Digit numbers with this interactive clip card resource.
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4-Digit Number Digital Game
Play a game show with your students to get them practicing 4-digit numbers in standard form, expanded form, plus more!
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4-Digit Number Riddles Cut and Paste
Use these 4-digit number worksheets to help students practice matching numbers up to 10,000 with their word and expanded forms.
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4-Digit Pizza Interactive Activity
Use this interactive game to enhance students' proficiency in writing and representing 4-digit numbers.
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Christmas Color By Number - One More or Less
Practice finding numbers that are one more and one less than with a printable Christmas color-by-number worksheet.
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Thanksgiving Activity - Place Value Math Task Cards
Spice up your 2nd Grade Thanksgiving Math lessons with a fun game of Place Value Scoot!
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Santa's Mix-Up - Place Value & Expanded Form Math Worksheets
Add some Christmas spirit to your place value lesson plans with printable Christmas place value worksheets for 2nd graders.
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Place Value Worksheets for 2nd Grade - Thanksgiving Math Mazes
Save the turkey and match numbers, words, and expanded forms of numbers with a fun set of printable 2nd-grade Thanksgiving Math maze worksheets.