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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Representing Two-Digit Numbers - Place Value Worksheet
A set of worksheets for students to use when learning about place value and the different way two-digit numbers can be represented.
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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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Rounding Whole Numbers Worksheets
Share these rounding whole numbers worksheets with your students so they can cut-and-paste their way to understanding rounding.
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How to Write 2-Digit and 3-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Explore how to represent number values in standard form, word form, expanded form, and picture form with this multipurpose place value worksheet.
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I Have, Who Has? - Place Value Games for 1st Graders (2-Digits)
Reinforce your students understanding of 2-digit Place Value concepts with printable Place Value Games for 1st graders.
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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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Ordering Numbers Worksheets — Dot Day Caterpillar
Share these ordering numbers worksheets with your students to help them master sequencing numbers.
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4-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practice reading and writing 4-digit numbers with this printable PDF worksheet.
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Base-10 Blocks - Pictorial Model Cards
A set of base-10 block cards to compose and decompose numbers, including decimals.
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I Have, Who Has? Game - Place Value (3-Digit Numbers)
Play an exciting I Have, Who Has? Place Value Game to help your students practice their skills with reading and writing three-digit numbers.
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Ordering Large Numbers Worksheet Set
Share this ordering large numbers worksheet set with your students to evaluate their skill in ordering numbers from the thousands to the millions.
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Rounding Numbers PPT — Rounding Roller Coaster Method
Present this roller coaster-themed rounding numbers PPT to your students to teach or review how to round large numbers.
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Place Value Review Game — "Place Value Prowl!"
Play this place value review game called “Place Value Prowl” to review place value up to the hundred thousands place.
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Hundreds Place Value Number Expander Template
A resource to help reinforce place value and writing 3-digit numbers in expanded form.
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2-Digit Number of the Day - Spiral Review
Review a variety of second-grade math concepts with a Number of the Day slide deck and recording sheet.
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Place Value Charts — Printable Math Mats
Practice place value concepts, addition, and subtraction with a printable set of free place value charts.
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Goal Getters- Rounding to the Nearest Ten Worksheets
Score a goal and master rounding numbers on a number line with a soccer-themed rounding to the nearest ten worksheet.
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Rounding PPT — "Rounding With Reasoning"
Use this engaging rounding PPT to teach your students to round with reasoning — not rules!
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Rounding With a Number Line Teaching Slides (Large Numbers)
Teach rounding with a number line using this set of teaching slides featuring numbers up the hundred thousands.
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5-Digit Place Value Math Game - I Have, Who Has?
Use a 5-Digit Place Value Math game to engage your students and practice identifying and reading five digit numbers.
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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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5th Grade - Decimal Place Value Assessment
Assess your students' skills with decimals and place value using a printable 5th Grade Decimal Place Value Test.
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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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Expanded Form Worksheet Pack
Practice expanding 2-digit to 6-digit numbers with this set of 5 worksheets.
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3-Digit Place Value Cover Up Game
Engage students in understanding place value to the hundreds with this place value card game.
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Exploring 2-Digit Place Value - Teaching Slides
Explore 2-digit numbers using place value strategies with an interactive teaching presentation.
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5th Grade Math Review – Test Prep Packet
Encourage your students to work through 8 pages of 5th-grade math problems while charting their progress to measure their success.
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Ordering Integers Activity — Task Cards
Introduce this ordering integers activity to your students to give them experience ordering positive and negative numbers.
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Rounding Numbers – Math Mazes
Round numbers to various places while finding your way through this set of 5 math mazes.
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6-Digit Number of the Day Worksheet
A 6-digit place value worksheet to represent the number of the day in different ways.
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Tens and Ones - Worksheet
A worksheet for students to use when learning about tens and ones.
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Interactive Rounding Game — "Four Corners"
Play this interactive rounding game with your class or assign it to individual students for a fun way to practice rounding whole numbers.