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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100 More and Less Worksheets - Cut and Paste
Use an understanding of place value to determine a number 100 more or less than a number with a pair of cut-and-paste math worksheets.
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Bingo Cards - Rounding Numbers Using a Vertical Number Line
Review how to round numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, thousand, and ten thousand with a vertical number line Bingo game.
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Rounding Task Cards - Numbers to 100,000
Use place value knowledge and reasoning skills to round numbers up through the hundred thousands place with a set of 24 task cards.
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Number Line Bubble Drop - Ordering Numbers Activity
Practice ordering whole numbers up to 120 on a number line with a fun ocean-themed interactive activity.
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Rounding Numbers on Vertical Number Lines - Matching Activity
Practice rounding to the nearest ten and hundred on a vertical number line with this set of 36 match-up cards.
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Rounding on Number Lines - Interactive Mystery Picture
Karate chop those rounding standards with a fun Rounding on a Number Line Mystery Reveal activity.
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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.
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Rounding Worksheets - Cut and Paste
Provide your students with engaging practice to help them understand rounding with a set of differentiated worksheets.
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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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Place Value Cacti - 3-Digit Expanded Form Activity
A fun place value activity for students to play in the classroom when exploring 3-digit numbers and expanded forms.
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Place Value Penguin - Spreadsheet Pixel Art Activity
Practice identifying numbers in word form, expanded form, and standard form with a fun spreadsheet pixel art activity.
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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.
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Rounding Whole Numbers – Word Problem and Error Analysis Worksheet
Solve a variety of rounding word problems and analyze errors with this math worksheet.
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Comparing Integers – Word Problem Worksheet
Interpret word problems while comparing integers with this math worksheet.
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Rounding Whole Numbers – Worksheet
Use understanding of place value to round whole numbers to a given place with this printable math worksheet.
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Plotting and Comparing Integers – Worksheet
Practice plotting integers on a number line and completing comparison statements with this worksheet.
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Rounding Match-Up Activity
Practice rounding decimals and whole numbers with this match-up activity.
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Using Greater Than and Less Than Symbols - Halloween Worksheet
Practice using the greater than, less than, and equal to symbols to compare two-digit numbers with a fun Halloween worksheet.
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Halloween Count and Compare Worksheet
Have a spooktacular time practicing number comparisons with a count and compare Halloween math worksheet.
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Comparing Numbers-Halloween Word Problems
Practice comparing numbers using base ten blocks with a Halloween Math word problem worksheet.
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Halloween Comparing Numbers Worksheet - Ten Frames
Compare numbers to twenty using ten frames with a fun and engaging Halloween math worksheet.
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Three and Four-Digit Place Value Memory Game
Practice matching numbers in standard form, expanded form, and word form with this memory-style place value game.
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Number Forms Assessment
Test your students' skills with recognizing and writing numbers in word form and expanded form with this quick formative assessment.
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Comparing Two-Digit Numbers — Clash! Board Game for 1st Grade
Practice comparing two-digit numbers with the help of this board game.
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Spin and Sort – More, Less, Same
Practice comparing numbers with this sorting activity.
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Number Hunt Description Cards
A set of 32 task cards that have students use their knowledge of place value to find specific numbers.
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Base-10 Flashcards - Numbers 1–120
Boost number sense with these flashcards that help students identify numbers up to 120 using visual representations of base ten blocks.
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Number Talks - Number Sense Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Comparing Three-Digit Numbers Task Cards
Practice comparing 3-digit numbers with the symbols , and = with this set of 20 task cards.
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Let's Compare! Task Cards
Practice comparing 2-digit numbers with this set of 20 task cards.
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Expanded Notation Puzzles - Whole Numbers
Practice whole number expanded notation with this 28-piece matching puzzle.
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Number Talks - Building Numbers Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.