Place Value Foundations

Overview

In this first lesson of the unit “Mastering Addition and Subtraction,” students build and read whole numbers using place value groups (thousands, hundreds, tens, ones). They use place value blocks to make numbers, explain what each digit represents, and connect place value to future addition and subtraction strategies.

Learning intentions

• Students will understand that the digits in a whole number show the number of ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands.
• Students will represent numbers up to 10 000 using place value blocks and compare representations.
• Students will read and write whole numbers by correctly naming each place value.
• Students will explain using words and drawings how a number is built.

Success criteria

• I can say what a digit means in a specific place (ones, tens, hundreds, thousands).
• I can build a number using blocks and write the matching numeral.
• I can describe how many of each place value are in a number.
• I can check my answer by counting groups correctly and explaining my thinking.

Curriculum links

• Students develop number sense for whole numbers and use place value to represent and compare quantities.
• Students use models (like base-ten/place value blocks) to support understanding of number and operations.
• Students communicate mathematical thinking using words, models, and representations.
• Students solve problems and reflect on strategies using place value structures.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 3 min — Launch with a quick hook Show a numeral on the board (e.g., 2345). Ask: “What does the 2 tell us? What does the 4 tell us?” Give a moment to think, then share answers informally. Tell students this unit will use place value to help with addition and subtraction.

2. 8 min — Mini-lesson: meaning of places Use place value charts and blocks to model 4 digits: thousands, hundreds, tens, ones. Emphasize the pattern: ten ones make one ten; ten tens make one hundred; ten hundreds make one thousand. Demonstrate with a small build (e.g., 1 thousand, 2 hundreds, 3 tens, 4 ones) and explicitly name each part.

3. 10 min — Guided building (I do, we do) Place the number 1324 on the board. Students build it using blocks at their desks. As students work, prompt:

• “How many thousands?”
• “How many hundreds are there?”
• “How many tens do you see?” Then ask a few students to explain what each digit means using place value language.

4. 8 min — Turn-and-talk: explain and verify Give a second number (e.g., 2607). In pairs, students:

• Build it with blocks
• Write the numeral that matches their build
• Explain one digit’s value to their partner (e.g., “The 6 is in the tens place, so it means…”). Circulate and listen for correct place value explanations and counting accuracy.

5. 9 min — Student practice: represent and match Provide 6 task cards. Each card includes either (a) a numeral to build and write back, or (b) a block sketch description (e.g., “2 thousands, 5 hundreds, 1 ten, 7 ones”) to write as a numeral. Students complete 3 cards first (teacher check-in), then continue for the remaining 3. Encourage use of drawings if they cannot build quickly.

6. 4 min — Whole-class check-in (exit thinking) Choose one common student strategy and one common error (e.g., confusing hundreds and tens). Ask: “What part of the model helped us notice the difference?” Re-teach briefly if needed.

7. 3 min — Exit ticket Each student completes a short response:

• Build 3042 using blocks
• Write the numeral
• Circle the digit that is worth “30” and state which place it is in. Collect for quick assessment of place value understanding.

Resources

• Base-ten (place value) blocks: thousands cubes, hundreds flats, tens rods, ones cubes
• Place value chart (thousands/hundreds/tens/ones) for the board and/or student copies
• Number cards and task cards (6 total) for the practice section
• Markers, pencils, scrap paper for quick drawings
• Document camera or teacher visual set of blocks (optional but helpful)
• Sticky notes or mini-whiteboards for exit ticket responses (optional)

Assessment

• Teacher observation during guided building and pair discussions, focusing on correct grouping and place value explanations.
• Review of student task cards to check accuracy in building/reading numbers and writing matching numerals.
• Exit ticket to confirm understanding of what digits mean in specific places (especially thousands/hundreds/tens).

Differentiation

• Support: Provide a “worked example” card showing how to build a 4-digit number, plus sentence starters like “The ____ is in the ____ place, so it means ____.”
• Support: Offer smaller numbers (e.g., up to 1999) for students who need reduced range, while still using the same place value structure.
• Extension: Challenge students to build two different ways to show the same number using an additional representation (for example, adding blocks to confirm the value), or ask them to explain why 3000 has 3 thousands and 0 hundreds/tens/ones.
• EAL/SEN: Use concrete blocks and visuals consistently; allow responses in drawing plus words; group students strategically for peer explanation.