Use this resource when teaching students that numbers can be created in a variety of ways and how to write 5-digit numbers in expanded form.

How To Use This Resource

1. Print out a sheet of expanders for each student. Have them cut out each expander.
2. On one expander, write a 5-digit number placing each digit in a white box.
3. Starting with the first white box, fold the two gray boxes behind it, accordion style. You should now have the first two white boxes side by side.
4. Repeat this process for each set of gray boxes. When you are finished, you should only be able to see the white boxes forming your 5-digit number.

This resource allows students to see some of the different combinations that make your 5-digit number. For example, if your number is 43,982, by revealing different gray boxes you can see that it equals:

• 43,982 ones
• 4,398 tens and 2 ones
• 439 hundreds and 82 ones
• 439 hundreds 8 tens and 2 ones
• 43 thousands 982 ones
• 43 thousands 98 tens and 2 ones
• 43 thousands 9 hundreds 8 tens and 2 ones
• 4 ten thousands 3,982 ones
• 4 ten thousands 398 tens and 2 ones
• 4 ten thousands 39 hundreds 82 ones
• 4 ten thousands 39 hundreds 8 tens and 2 ones
• 4 ten thousands 3 one thousands 982 ones
• 4 ten thousands 3 one thousands 98 tens and 2 ones
• 4 ten thousands 3 one thousands 9 hundreds 82 ones
• 4 ten thousands 3 one thousands 9 hundreds 8 tens and 2 ones.

Allow students to use base-10 blocks to model each combination. This resource works well when teaching students this concept in guided math groups.