Place Value Teaching Resources
Browse place value charts, printable worksheets, games and more teaching resources aligned to the Australian curriculum.
This collection of 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 maths 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? A Kid-Friendly Definition
When it comes time to teach place value, it helps to have a simple definition to use to introduce this core maths concept to your class. Here's how we explain the meaning to our students:
In maths, 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 (also referred to as the Hindu-Arabic 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 maths 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 3245:
- 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 = 3245.
Why Is Place Value Important?
Place value is an important concept for primary 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 maths 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 maths concept is the place value chart! This visual teaching tool can be used to represent and organise numbers based on their value and position in a given number.
A place value chart is typically divided into columns representing the different powers of 10 in our number system. Each column is labelled 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 of which corresponds 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.
Place Value vs. Face Value — What's the Difference?
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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Interactive MAB Blocks Lab
Explore an interactive MAB block manipulator tool made for your primary classroom! Teach place value, help students visualise problems and more!
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Exploring 2-Digit Place Value Unit Plan
This Mathematics unit addresses a range of 2-digit place value number concepts involving identifying, sequencing and representing.
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Exploring 4-Digit Place Value Unit Plan
This Mathematics unit addresses a range of place value concepts involving 4-digit numbers.
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Exploring 3-Digit Place Value Unit Plan
This Mathematics unit addresses a range of 3-digit place value number concepts involving identifying, sequencing and representing.
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Rounding Numbers to 10 and 100
A 60 minute lesson in which students will round 4-digit numbers to the nearest 10 and 100.
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Number Stories and Rhymes
A 60 minute lesson in which students will understand how number stories and rhymes can help with counting.
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Partitioning Numbers to 10 000
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how place value can be used to partition numbers into smaller parts.
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Assessment – Representing 3-Digit Numbers
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of 3-digit place value.
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Partitioning and Expanding 2-Digit Numbers
A 60 minute lesson in which students will understand how 2-digit numbers can be partitioned.
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Exploring Place Value to 10 000
A 60 minute lesson in which students will further explore place value in the thousands.
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Which Place?
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3-Digit Numbers
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify 3-digit numbers in the environment.
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Partitioning and Expanding 3-Digit Numbers
A 60 minute lesson in which students will understand how 3-digit numbers can be partitioned.
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Exploring 5-Digit Place Value Unit Plan
This Mathematics unit addresses a range of place value concepts involving 5-digit numbers.
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Rounding Numbers to 10, 100 and 1000
A 60 minute lesson in which students will round 5-digit numbers to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000.
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Expanding Numbers Beyond 10 000
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how place value can be used to expand numbers.
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Partitioning Numbers Beyond 10 000
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how place value can be used to partition numbers into smaller parts.
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Exploring 5-Digit Place Value
A 60 minute lesson in which students will further explore place value in the tens of thousands.
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Beyond 10 000
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Exploring 4-Digit Place Value - Assessment
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of place value in the thousands.
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Comparing and Ordering Numbers
A 60 minute lesson in which students will compare and order 4-digit numbers.
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Expanding Numbers to 10 000
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how place value can be used to expand numbers.
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Counting Collections in the Hundreds
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore ways to count collections in the hundreds more efficiently.
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3-Digit Place Value
A 60 minute lesson in which students will understand that 3-digit numbers are made up of hundreds, tens and ones.
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Assessment - Representing 2-Digit Numbers
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of 2-digit place value.
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2-Digit Place Value
A 60 minute lesson in which students will understand that 2-digit numbers are made up of tens and ones.
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Exploring 5-Digit Place Value - Assessment
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of place value in the tens of thousands.
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Comparing and Ordering Beyond 10 000
A 60 minute lesson in which students will compare and order 5-digit numbers.
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Tips for Teaching Place Value: Teachers' Favourite Strategies + Activities
Check out some teacher-tested strategies and activities to make place value stick for your students!
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10 Exciting QR Code Activities for Students
Here are 10 awesome QR code activities for Kids to use in the classroom!