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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Race Up the Rounding Ladder
Challenge your students to have some competitive fun with this partner-based rounding game.
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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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Exploring 2-Digit Place Value - Teaching Slides
Explore 2-digit numbers using place value strategies with an interactive teaching presentation.
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Ten More, Ten Less Within 100 - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Practice adding and subtracting 10 from given numbers within 100 in this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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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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Rounding Numbers on a Number Line Teaching Slides
Teach students how to round to the nearest ten and hundred with an interactive, explicit instructional teaching presentation.
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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 Numbers Review - Task Cards
Use place value knowledge and reasoning skills to round numbers up through the thousands place with a set of 24 task cards.
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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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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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Two Step Word Problems on a Number Line - Place Value Activity
Differentiate place value concepts for 1st and 2nd grade students with a pair of 2-Digit Number Line Task Card Sets.
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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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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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Place Value Chart – Printable Banner
Use this printable place value chart filled with different ways to represent a number in your classroom.
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Rounding Numbers - Instructional Slide Deck
Teach the basics of rounding numbers with this engaging and animated PowerPoint.
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Base-10 Flashcards - Numbers 1–120
A set of Base-10 flashcards for the numbers 1–120.
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One More, One Less - Worksheet
Practice foundational addition and subtraction facts using the concepts of one more and one less.
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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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Number Talks - Place Value Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Number Talks - Comparing Numbers Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Number Talks - Place Value Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 32 place value task cards.
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Comparing Whole Numbers Worksheet
A set of worksheets to practice comparing whole numbers.
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Flip, Draw, Expand! – Place Value Worksheet (3-Digit Numbers)
A worksheet to use when practicing place value with 3-digit numbers.
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Flip, Draw, Expand! - Place Value Worksheet (2-Digit Numbers)
A worksheet to use when reviewing 2-digit place value.
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Place Value Bingo Game - Numbers 0-999,999
32 different bingo cards using place value to hundred thousands.
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3-Digit Place Value Warm-Up - Interactive PowerPoint
An engaging 44-slide interactive PowerPoint to use when learning about place value to 3-digits.
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QR Code 3-Digit Place Value Scavenger Hunt
A fun activity where students scan QR codes to go on a 3-digit scavenger hunt in the classroom.
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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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Place Value Spin
A fun place value activity for students to use in the classroom when identifying the number of 'tens' and 'ones' in two-digit numbers.
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Place Value Monster
A fun place value activity to help students consolidate their understanding of tens and ones.
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Tens and Ones - Worksheet
A worksheet for students to use when learning about tens and ones.
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Exploring 5-Digit Place Value PowerPoint
A 38-slide PowerPoint template to use when exploring place value in the ten thousands place.