Place Value Power

Overview

Today’s lesson builds students’ understanding of place value in base 10 using hands-on materials (PV houses/blocks), number lines, and place value charts. Students will read, write, compare, and order whole numbers, moving from thousands (Year 3) up to millions (Year 6).

Learning intentions

• WALT read and write whole numbers using base 10 place value up to 1,000,000.
• WALT compare and order whole numbers up to 1,000,000 by using place value (hundreds, thousands, and beyond).
• WALT explain which digit is worth more/less and why using models (PV houses/blocks, charts, number lines).

Success criteria

• I can read a number (e.g., 352,407) and tell what each digit means.
• I can build a number using base 10 blocks/PV houses and record it on a place value chart.
• I can compare two numbers and use symbols <, >, = correctly.
• I can order a set of numbers from smallest to largest and justify my choices.

Curriculum links

• Number — Reading, writing, comparing, and ordering whole numbers up to 10,000 and representing them using base 10 structure.
• Number structures — Reading and writing whole numbers using place value structure (thousands/hundreds/tens/ones and expanding).
• Number structures — Recognising place value of each digit in base 10.
• Communication in mathematics — using models and place value language to explain reasoning.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Warm-up: Place Value Quick Sort

• Teacher shows 4 number cards (mixed sizes: 3-digit to 6-digit) and a “Which chart fits?” board with place value columns.
• Students in pairs decide where each number belongs (choose the correct chart header: Ones–Tens–Hundreds, Thousands, Ten-thousands, Hundred-thousands, Millions) and hold up the matching card.

2. 8–20 min · Direct teach: PV houses + blocks build

• Teacher models building a number: 345,207 (choose the right version for each year group if needed), using PV houses/blocks.
• Students do the same with their kit and record digits on a large place value chart.
• Teacher emphasises: “The hundred-thousands digit tells us hundreds of thousands; it changes the size the most.”

Year focus adaptation (use groups while keeping the same core activity):

• Year 3: build/order numbers up to 10,000 (focus thousands/hundreds/tens/ones).
• Year 4: up to 100,000 (include ten-thousands).
• Year 5: up to 1,000,000 (include hundred-thousands).
• Year 6: up to 1,000,000 (all columns, read/write precisely).

3. 20–28 min · Guided practice: Compare with number lines

• Teacher draws a number line with tick marks labelled (choose scale that fits each group: e.g., jumps of 10, 100, 1,000, or 10,000).
• Teacher models comparing two numbers (e.g., 83,245 and 83,905): students place blocks onto the correct positions (or use chart overlays) to see which is further right.
• Students write a comparison sentence using the frame: “The digits in the ___ place are ___, so ___ is greater.”

4. 28–40 min · Independent/paired task: Build–Record–Compare

• Students rotate between two tasks (teacher sets “Task A” and “Task B” on the board):
• Task A (support): Build 3 numbers from prompts; then fill in missing words for each number (e.g., “5 hundred-thousands, 0 ten-thousands, 3 thousands…”).
• Task B (on track/advanced): Compare and order: given 4 numbers, place them on an ordering strip and write the correct symbols between each pair.
• Teacher circulates using quick checks: “Which place tells us the biggest change?” and “What digit value are you using?”

Dyslexia and struggling readers/writers supports used throughout:

• Provide dyslexia-friendly strips: large-font place value labels and “digit-to-word” cards.
• Offer sentence starters and word banks (hundred-thousand, ten-thousand, thousand, hundred, ten, one; greater than, less than).
• Allow oral recording first: students explain the comparison to a partner, then write the symbol and final number order.

5. 40–52 min · Skill focus mini-lessons (small groups)

• Teacher runs 3 short groups (8 minutes each rotation, or 2 groups with 12 minutes plus teacher conferences if needed):
• Group 1 (Year 3–4 support): reading/writing with PV house labels; avoid missing digits by using place value chart and “0” cards.
• Group 2 (Year 4–5): comparing within the same first digit (e.g., both start with 3 hundred-thousands); students use block swaps to see the effect.
• Group 3 (Year 6 / advanced): ordering up to 1,000,000 including cases with zeros in middle (e.g., 507,030 vs 507,300).
• Students in each group practise the same success criteria using a short set of 3 questions.

6. 52–58 min · Exit ticket: Order and justify

• Students receive an exit ticket with 3 parts:
• Write the number shown by the model (PV houses or blocks).
• Compare two numbers with < or >.
• Order three numbers smallest to largest.
• Students add one justification sentence using a frame: “I know because the ___ place digit is ___.”

7. 58–60 min · Pack-up and feedback

• Teacher collects tickets and asks 2 students to share a comparison they got right (or discuss one common misconception).

Resources

• PV houses (ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands, hundred-thousands, millions) and base 10 blocks
• Large place value charts (with clear column headings)
• Number line templates and ordering strips
• Number cards (3-digit to 6-digit) with some zero-in-middle examples
• “Digit-to-words” card set and word bank posters
• Dyslexia-friendly labels/printed supports (larger font, high contrast)
• Exit ticket sheets
• Coloured place value sticky notes (for quick digit identification)

Assessment

• Formative checks during guided practice: correct placement on charts/number line and correct comparison sentence.
• Teacher conferencing in rotations: listen for place value reasoning (not just “it looks bigger”).
• Exit ticket: accuracy writing/reading numbers, comparison symbol correctness, and correct ordering.

Differentiation

• Support (Year 3–4, struggling readers/writers):
• Reduce to numbers up to 10,000 or 100,000 and provide missing-digit scaffolds (0 cards).
• Use pre-written sentence starters and allow partner oral explanation before writing.
• Provide visual aids: PV house diagrams with matching colour for each place.
• On track (mixed Year 4–5):
• Use the same task sets but with different number size: e.g., Year 4 up to 100,000, Year 5 up to 1,000,000.
• Require students to justify using one place value focus (e.g., “thousands place digit”).
• Extension (Year 6 and fast finishers):
• Add “zero challenge”: order numbers like 402,050, 402,500, 402,005 and explain the role of zeros.
• Include reasoning prompts: “What is the biggest digit you can change without changing the value range?” (e.g., keep hundred-thousands digit the same).
• EAL strategies:
• Use consistent place value language and visuals; allow gesture-supported explanation (point to column, place digit, then read).
• Provide bilingual/visual supports only if available in class, focusing on the shared place value terms.

Assessment support: Dyslexia-friendly reading options (built-in)

• Teacher reads number words aloud twice; students repeat using the chart columns.
• Use short, high-contrast printed prompts and limit copying from the board (students record only numbers and answers).
• Offer “model first” worksheets: model picture → write number → compare/order.

Extension (optional)

• Create a “Place Value Detective” station: students choose a number and create two comparison clues (e.g., “greater than 76,300 and less than 76,900”) then verify with PV blocks.