Build Hundreds, Tens, Ones

This is lesson 8 of 18 in the unit "Math Explorers: Measure, Count, Solve". Lesson Title: Build Hundreds, Tens, Ones Lesson Description: 30 minutes (two 15-minute mini-lessons). Objective/I can: I can show a number using hundreds, tens, and ones. Vocabulary: hundreds, tens, ones, digit, place value. I do: Build numbers with base-ten blocks and a place-value mat. We do: Students build 236, touch each place, and match numeral cards. You do: Students build three teacher-called numbers with blocks or picture cards. Success criteria: I put hundreds, tens, and ones in the correct columns and name the value. Assessment: 1) In 245, the 2 means [2 ones/2 tens/2 hundreds]; 2) 3 tens equals [3/30/300]; 3) Build 124: [1 hundred,2 tens,4 ones/1,4,2/4,2,1]; 4) 7 ones equals [7/70/700]; 5) Which mat shows 205? [visual A/B/C]. Differentiation: Use bundled straws, reduced numbers to 99, color-coded columns, and extension numbers to 1,000. Dyslexia-friendly: Use tactile blocks, consistent place colors, large numerals, verbal rehearsal, and no dense text.

Overview

In this 30-minute lesson, students represent three-digit numbers with base-ten blocks and place-value mats. They connect concrete models to numerals and explain the value of each digit, building on prior work with counting and two-digit place value.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

Show a three-digit number using hundreds, tens, and ones.
Place blocks or drawings in the correct place-value columns.
Name the value of a digit in a three-digit number.
Match a concrete model to its numeral.

Success criteria

I can put hundreds, tens, and ones in the correct columns.
I can build a number with blocks or a picture model.
I can touch each place and name its value.
I can explain what each digit means.

Curriculum links

Place value and base-ten understanding: represent three-digit numbers as hundreds, tens, and ones.
Measurement and Data — represent whole numbers and sums or differences on number lines.
Measurement and Data — solve addition and subtraction problems within 100 using drawings and equations.
Georgia Standards of Excellence, Common Core-aligned mathematical practice: model with mathematics, use appropriate tools, and explain reasoning.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

0–3 min · Hook and goal. Teacher opens with the number-building introduction slides, displays 236, and asks, “How could we build this number so another person can see its value?” Students make a quick prediction and share what they already know about hundreds, tens, and ones.
3–8 min · Mini-lesson 1: I do. Teacher models 236 on a large place-value mat, placing 2 hundreds, 3 tens, and 6 ones; teacher touches each column, says the value aloud, and matches the model to numeral cards. Students echo the language: “2 hundreds, 3 tens, 6 ones; 236.”
8–15 min · Mini-lesson 1: We do. Teacher and students build 236 together, using the guided modeling slide to reveal one place at a time. Students take turns touching a column, naming the place and value, and identifying which numeral card matches; teacher checks that students distinguish a digit from its value.
15–18 min · Mini-lesson 2: Guided practice. Teacher demonstrates how to read a teacher-called number, gather the correct blocks, and place them from left to right on the mat. Students practice with one number, such as 142, first saying the number aloud and then building it.
18–26 min · Mini-lesson 2: You do. Teacher calls three numbers, such as 315, 204, and 170, and displays the directions in the independent practice instructions. Students independently build each number with blocks or use picture cards, then record the hundreds, tens, and ones on the place-value practice worksheet; after each number, partners check the columns and explain one digit’s value.
26–30 min · Check and exit assessment. Teacher uses the review and exit-check slides to review common errors, then gives students the five-question check on the place-value practice worksheet: the value of the 2 in 245, the value of 3 tens, the parts of 124, the value of 7 ones, and which visual represents 205. Students may point, build, draw, or say an answer before recording it.

Resources

Base-ten blocks, including hundreds flats, tens rods, and ones cubes
Five individual place-value mats labeled hundreds, tens, and ones
Numeral cards for modeled and guided numbers
the number-building slide deck
the place-value practice worksheet
Pencils, crayons, and clipboards or table workspaces
Optional bundled straws or linking cubes for students who need an alternative model

Assessment

During modeling, ask individual students to identify the place and value of a selected digit, such as the 3 in 236.
During practice, check whether students place blocks in the correct columns and can explain why 2 hundreds is 200, not 2 or 20.
Review the five-question check. Record whether each student can represent a number, identify a digit’s value, and recognize a correct visual model.

Differentiation

Support: Use numbers from 0–99, then add a hundreds column when ready. Provide color-coded columns and matching block colors, such as green for hundreds, blue for tens, and yellow for ones. Keep a completed example visible.
Concrete and language support: Allow bundled straws, tactile blocks, or picture cards. Use consistent verbal rehearsal: “I see __ hundreds, __ tens, and __ ones. The number is __.”
Dyslexia-friendly access: Use large, uncluttered numerals, a clear sans-serif font, strong spacing, and short directions. Read all worksheet text aloud, avoid dense text, and let students respond orally, by pointing, or by drawing.
Extension: Invite students to build numbers to 1,000, compare two models, or explain how changing one digit changes the number’s value.

Teaching Instructions