Digit Place Value

Overview

Today we will recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number by partitioning it into thousands, hundreds, tens and ones. You will use models and explain your reasoning, not just give answers.

Learning intentions

• Students will recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number.
• Students will partition numbers into thousands, hundreds, tens and ones.
• Students will justify how a digit’s place value affects the total.
• Students will solve practical “prove it” reasoning questions using sentence stems.

Success criteria

• I can say what each digit means in a four-digit number (thousands/hundreds/tens/ones).
• I can partition a number correctly into thousands, hundreds, tens and ones.
• I can explain my thinking using correct place value language and a clear reason.

Curriculum links

• Number — number and place value: recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number (thousands, hundreds, tens, ones).
• Number — number and place value: identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations.
• Number — number and place value: solve number and practical problems involving increasingly large positive numbers.

Lesson structure (35 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · High-engagement hook. Teacher shows a “number mystery” card: 4 3 0 7 (no spaces explained). Teacher asks: “If I cover one digit, which place value do you think becomes hidden: thousands, hundreds, tens or ones? How do you know?” Students think-pair-share and then one or two explain. AfL: Listen for vocabulary use (thousands/hundreds/tens/ones) and whether reasoning links to position.

2. 5–12 min · Modelling: place value with partitioning. Teacher draws a place value chart and partitions with physical/visual prompts (e.g., base-ten blocks or 4-part boxes).

• Example model on board: 4307 = 4000 + 300 + 0 + 7
• Teacher says and gestures: “The 4 is in the thousands column so it means 4000… the 3 means 300… the 0 means 0 tens… the 7 means 7 ones.”
• Emphasise that the digit’s position controls the value. Target whole-class questioning (verbal reasoning):
• “Bloom—Explain: How would you prove that the 3 is worth 300 in 4307?” (Sentence stems required: “I know the 3 is worth 300 because…”)
• “Bloom—Compare: What changes in the total if we swap the 3 and 0? What stays the same and why?”
• “Active reasoning—Justify: Why is there no part for tens when the digit is 0?” AfL: Quick cold-call checks: “Show me with a thumb on the chart—does this digit belong to thousands/hundreds/tens/ones?” (No writing yet.)

3. 12–18 min · Guided practice with layered questions. Teacher provides a partially completed worked example for students to complete with the teacher. Number: 2 0 6 5. Teacher models the first line, then students complete and explain.

• Teacher writes: “2065 = 2000 + 0 + 60 + 5” (or “= 2000 + 600 + 60 + 5” corrected by teacher).
• Students explain verbally using stems. Layered questioning (deeper reasoning):
• Level 1 (Remember/Understand): “Which column is the 6 in, and what value does it represent?”
• Level 2 (Apply): “Partition 2065: what should the thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones add up to?”
• Level 3 (Analyse/Explain): “Why can we write ‘0 hundreds’ for this number? What would go wrong if we forgot the 0?” AfL: Teacher circulates with a checklist: (1) correct partition terms, (2) correct place value language, (3) explanation includes position.

4. 18–28 min · Independent task: gradual increase in complexity. Students complete a worksheet with three questions. Each question increases complexity by changing digits and requiring stronger justification.

• Q1 (basic partition): Partition 5172 into thousands/hundreds/tens/ones. Write an addition statement.
• Q2 (missing parts): Partition 3059. Include the “0” part(s) clearly in the addition statement.
• Q3 (reasoning + prove it): “A pupil says: In 4027, the 2 has value 20. Agree or disagree. Prove your answer.” Students must use sentence stem and then write briefly. Prove it model + timing for verbal before writing:
• Teacher displays sentence stems: “I agree/disagree because the 2 is in the … column, so it represents ….” “If it were worth 20, the number would show … (explain).”
• Set a 2-minute verbal timer: “Talk with your partner—say the proof out loud—then write.” AfL: After each question, teacher asks 2–3 students to read their reasoning aloud. Mark quickly: correct partition and reasoning quality.

5. 28–33 min · Plenary: targeted reasoning and misconceptions. Teacher projects two “mistake examples” and pupils identify the misconception and correct it.

• Mistake A: “4307 = 400 + 300 + 7” (missing thousands and tens column).
• Mistake B: “2065: the 0 hundreds means the 6 is 6” (confuses place value columns). Targeted questions (Layered + verbal justification):
• “Explain: What did they miss about the columns?”
• “Analyse: Which digit moved/was misread, and how does that change the total?”
• “Prove it: Correct the partition and state the place value of each digit in the corrected number.” AfL: Mini-whiteboards: students hold up answers for the corrected partition, then 1 student explains verbally.

6. 33–35 min · Exit ticket (quick check). “Write the place value of each digit in 7093, then give the partition as an addition statement.” AfL: Collect to assess accuracy and whether pupils include 0 parts correctly.

Resources

• Place value chart (thousands/hundreds/tens/ones) for teacher board and pupils
• Base-ten blocks or cards/visuals representing thousands/hundreds/tens/ones
• Number cards: 4307, 2065, 5172, 3059, 4027, 7093
• Worksheet with Q1–Q3, including “prove it” sentence stems area
• Sentence stem strip and timer
• Mini-whiteboards and pens for plenary

Assessment

• During hook: listen for correct use of position/place value vocabulary and reasoning.
• During modelling/guided practice: check students can explain “why” the digit value matches its column.
• During task: teacher observes explanations and correct inclusion of 0 in partition.
• Exit ticket: verify place value of each digit and correct addition statement.

Differentiation

• Support: sentence stems with word bank (“thousands/hundreds/tens/ones,” “represents”); partly filled charts; reduce Q3 to “agree/disagree + one sentence” before writing full proof.
• Support for misconceptions: provide a “column check” reminder card (point to the column before deciding the value).
• Extension: give a new number (e.g., 6804) and ask pupils to create their own “prove it” statement about one digit’s value, then swap with a partner to verify.
• EAL/SEN: allow verbal first, then short writing; use visual manipulatives to anchor explanations.

Common misconceptions to address (explicitly during teaching)

• Forgetting the thousands column (e.g., writing 4307 as 400 + 300 + 7).
• Not accounting for 0 properly (omitting “0 hundreds/tens” so the partition doesn’t sum to the number).
• Treating a digit’s value as its face value rather than its column (e.g., thinking 4027’s 2 is worth 2 instead of 20).
• Misreading digits due to number formatting (e.g., not recognising the order of thousands/hundreds/tens/ones).

Example (copy into books)

Worked example: 4307

• 4 is worth 4000 (thousands)
• 3 is worth 300 (hundreds)
• 0 is worth 0 (tens)
• 7 is worth 7 (ones) Partition: 4307 = 4000 + 300 + 0 + 7 Prove it sentence: “I know the 3 is worth 300 because it is in the hundreds column, so it represents 3 hundreds.”