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
Place Value Color by Number Worksheets
Share these place value color by number worksheets with your students for a fun way to review place value up to the hundred thousands place.
- 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.
- Plus Plan
5th Grade Math Review – Google Slides Interactive Activity
Review important 5th-grade math standards with a student-led interactive activity that covers 12 different mathematical concepts.
- Plus Plan
Ordering and Comparing Decimals With Models Worksheet Set
Utilize this ordering and comparing decimals with models worksheet set to introduce your students to multiple decimal representations.
- Free Plan
Rounding Games for 4th Graders — Race Up the Rounding Ladder!
Challenge your students with one of our many rounding games for 4th graders — Race Up the Rounding Ladder!
- Free Plan
Rounding Whole Numbers Worksheets
Share these rounding whole numbers worksheets with your students so they can cut-and-paste their way to understanding rounding.
- 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.
- Free Plan
Ordering Numbers Worksheets — Dot Day Caterpillar
Share these ordering numbers worksheets with your students to help them master sequencing numbers.
- Free Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Decimal Place Value Chart With Base 10 Blocks
Utilize this decimal place value chart with base 10 blocks to introduce decimals with an engaging hands-on approach.
- Plus Plan
Decimal Place Value Chart
Provide your students with our decimal place value chart to make comparing and ordering decimals a breeze!
- 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!
- Free Plan
6-Digit Number of the Day Worksheet
A 6-digit place value worksheet to represent the number of the day in different ways.
- 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
Rounding Anchor Chart — Rounding Roller Coaster!
Hang our rounding anchor chart in your classroom for a fun reminder of how to round numbers — roller coaster style!
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Roll and Round Dice Game
Help your student refine their rounding skills with this set of 7 printable math games.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Free Plan
Ordering Integers Activity — Task Cards
Introduce this ordering integers activity to your students to give them experience ordering positive and negative numbers.
- Free Plan
Comparing Three-Digit Numbers – Worksheet
Practice comparing 3-digit numbers with this hands-on worksheet.
- Free Plan
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.
- Free Plan
0-9 Digit Cards
A set of 0-9 digit cards to be used for numeracy games in the classroom.
- Plus Plan
Value Your Place Active Learning
A whole class active game that encourages learning through a physical setting.
- Plus Plan
Comparing Decimals Using Models and Place Value — Teaching Slides
Teach comparing decimals using models and place value with these teaching slides that feature decimals represented with money, base 10 blocks, and 100s grids.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Numbers Activity (Escape Room)
Play our rounding numbers activity in your classroom to engage students as they practice and extend their rounding and critical thinking skills.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- 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
Ordering and Comparing Numbers Games — Escape the Robot Invasion!
Play ordering and comparing numbers games like this escape room to engage and educate at the same time.
- 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
4-Digit Place Value Game - Interactive Review Activity
Review a variety of 3rd Grade place value standards with an engaging Google Slides Interactive Game!
- Free Plan
Expanded Notation Classroom Poster
Explore the world of expanded notation with a printable classroom poster that easily explains the concept for students!