Place Value

Ahhhh...place value-the basis for our whole number system!  What a FUN thing to teach!  I love teaching place value in 1st and 2nd grade because there's so much to do with it...build number sense, use lots of manipulatives, explore expanded form, read and write word form, compare quantities, the list goes on and on.

Standards Progression:

1st Grade: Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones. 

2nd Grade: Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones; e.g., 706 equals 7 hundreds, 0 tens, and 6 ones.

Here's a glimpse into the way I choose to teach place value in my own classroom.  I begin with building number sense for my little kiddos.  This is SUCH an important step in their understanding, especially in 1st grade.  It's so easy to jump straight to the base 10 blocks but I have found that is not enough. Some math gurus even suggest that base 10 blocks should not be used in 1st grade at all because of their abstract nature.  My little kiddos need to UNDERSTAND what those base 10 blocks represent and they need to understand the quantity represented by the numbers being discussed in both 1st and 2nd grade.

To build this number sense in 1st grade, I've used lots of different objects and representations to build the understanding of ten and some more or groups of ten and some more.  We use counters, unifix cubes, and any other manipulative that is easy to count with tens frames (concrete), and circling groups of 10 and some more in pictures (representational) before EVER moving into base 10 blocks (abstract).  To some this may seem like a waste of time but for me I want to be sure my students understand the CONCEPT behind those base 10 blocks and have good number sense so I choose to spend a good amount of time on this first step before moving into blocks and for some kids that doesn't happen in 1st grade at all.  While doing all this counting, we practice relating the number we say to the written form to start building the actual place value understanding.

I do the same thing with my 2nd graders only with larger numbers. We review groups of 10 and some more with those same items (counters, unifix cubes, tens frames, pics of objects) and then move into 100 and some more.  Yes, this is messy!  Yes, it's a little crazy with all those manipulatives going every which way!  Yes, it's necessary to build the concept and number sense of a hundred and some more. Here's a picture of our cubes right before we were getting ready to move into base 10 blocks.

I started by giving my 2nd graders 2 handful of cubes then we worked together to make groups of 10. We discussed how it was more efficient to count by 10's than 1's to get our total number. I also intentionally slide the groups of 10 together to make 100, so they could begin to understand recognize a hundreds flat.

If you have students struggling with place value, you might try going back to this step.  It is often the missing link to their understanding and some kids need a LOT of time with this step in order to build their number sense and to learn to "trust" the pattern of numbers.  Grab those counters, bears, beans, cubes, etc. and have them count and group and write the numerals so they will build that number sense and true understanding of how numbers and place value works.  Your students will reap the benefits for years to come.

So 1st and 2nd grade teachers, I hope you will join me in taking a step back and building number sense before jumping straight to those beloved base 10 blocks 😉