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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Whole Numbers Game — Create-Your-Own!
Share this create-your-own rounding whole numbers game with your students to give them practice rounding numbers up to the hundred thousands place.
- Plus Plan
Rounding on a Number Line Worksheet Set
Use our rounding on a number line worksheet set to give your students practice using a number line to round numbers up to the hundred thousands place.
- Plus Plan
Number Ordering Worksheets (Dot-to-Dot)
Share these dot-to-dot number ordering worksheets with your students to give them an engaging way to practice ordering two and three digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Expanded Form Worksheet Pack
Practice expanding 2-digit to 6-digit numbers with this set of 5 worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Number of the Day Worksheet
Explore 4, 5, and 6-digit numbers using this number of the day worksheet with your students.
- Free Plan
Find a Friend Expanded Form Worksheet
Explore expanding 2-digit to 6-digit numbers with your students with this expanding form active worksheet.
- Free Plan
Rounding to the Nearest 10 Worksheet
Teach your students to round to the nearest 10 with this printable math worksheet designed for 3rd and 4th grade students.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Free Plan
Place Value Charts — Printable Math Mats
Practice place value concepts, addition, and subtraction with a printable set of free place value charts.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Worksheets - Cut and Paste
Provide your students with engaging practice to help them understand rounding with a set of differentiated worksheets.
- Free Plan
Ordering Integers Activity — Task Cards
Introduce this ordering integers activity to your students to give them experience ordering positive and negative numbers.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Whole Numbers – Riddle Worksheets
Integrate riddles and math with this set of rounding worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Rounding to the Nearest Ten - Interactive Activity
Practice rounding two-digit numbers to the nearest tens place with this interactive Google Slides activity.
- Free Plan
Rounding Task Cards
Use place value knowledge to round numbers up through the hundred thousands place with this free set of 20 task cards.
- Plus Plan
Flip, Draw, Expand! – Place Value Worksheet (3-Digit Numbers)
A worksheet to use when practicing place value with 3-digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Bulletin Board
Unlock place value understanding with this bulletin board for back-to-school that can remain on the wall all year long!
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? Game - Place Value (2-Digit Numbers)
A whole-class game to reinforce your students' understanding of place value.
- Free Plan
Roll It, Make It, Expand It! - Place Value Worksheet
A worksheet for students to use when learning to write two-digit numbers in expanded form.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Cards - 10,000; 1,000; 100; 10; 1
A set of place value cards to help students explore and expand larger numbers.
- Plus Plan
Flip, Draw, Expand! - Place Value Worksheet (4-Digit Numbers)
A worksheet to use when practicing place value with 4-digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Two-Digit Place Value Bingo Game (Digits and Craft Sticks)
32 bingo cards using place value to 99.
- Plus Plan
Ordering Numbers 1-10 "To the Moon!" Game
Play this ordering numbers 1-10 game with your students for a fun way to practice ordering numbers up to 10.
- Plus Plan
Ordering Numbers Game (Numbers 1 - 10)
Play this ordering numbers game for a fun way to increase student skill in ordering numbers 1 - 10.
- Plus Plan
Missing Number Hunt Activity (Ordering Numbers)
Use our number hunt activity to take your students on a hunt for missing numbers up to 120.
- Plus Plan
Ordering Numbers Cut-and-Paste Worksheets
Give students our ordering numbers cut and paste worksheets for a fun way to practice ordering numbers 1 through 100.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Poster Set — Whole Numbers
Display this colorful place value poster set in your classroom to remind your students of place values to the millions and billions.
- Plus Plan
Sequencing Activities — Numbers 1 - 9 Sausage Dog
Use our sequencing activities like this sausage dog to help your students practice ordering the numbers 1 - 9.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Pizza - Math Craft
Demonstrate understanding of the different ways to model three-digit numbers with a fun Place Value Pizza math craft activity.
- Plus Plan
Place Value STEM Challenge - Number Forms
Build, write, and read 3-digit numbers in base ten, word, and expanded forms with an engaging Place Value Building Project!
- Plus Plan
Expanded Form Teaching Slides
Teach your students about how to represent numbers in expanded form with this set of engaging teaching slides.
- Plus Plan
Expanded Form Interactive Task Cards
Explore expanding numbers with your students using these interactive task cards, reviewing numbers in expanded form and place value charts.