Place Value

Activities for teaching place value

• Two students alternate drawing from a deck of braille playing cards. Each card is placed in one of 8 slots on a board, immediately after drawing. The goal is to create the largest 8 digit number. The students read their numbers after they are complete, and determine which is largest.
• “Wipeout” (Baggett, 1995) is a calculator game which can be tailored to the ability level of the student, using numbers with fewer digits for lower skill levels. The student enters a number on a calculator; it contains a predetermined number of digits; each digit in the number must be different (e.g., 66 would not be permitted). The student is directed to “wipeout” the number, one digit at a time, by changing each number to zero as the teacher calls it out. For example, if the number is 68459, and the teacher calls out the number 5, the student has to subtract 50 in order to turn the 5 into zero. This game would be started with two digit numbers, increasing the digits as the student comprehends place value.
• “Number-in-a-Box” (Petreshene, 1985): State a number between 10 and 99. Braille the numeral and one example of a combination of numbers which equal its value (e.g., 43 = 3 tens and 13 ones); place this information in a box. Tell the student that there is a number in the box which is worth 43 ones; only ones and tens have been used to make the number. The student then brailles every combination of ones and tens to equal 43 ones until he or she guesses the combination which is in the box. Alternate teacher and student guessing numbers; keep score with a tally mark for every incorrect guess. The game ends when someone accumulates 25 tally marks or points; the object is to have the fewest points.

References

Baggett, P., & Ehrenfeucht, A. (1995). Breaking away from the mathematics book: creative projects for grades K-6. Lancaster, PA: Technomic Publishing Co., Inc.

Petreshene, S. S. (1985). Mind joggers! 5 to 15 minute activities that make kids think. West Nyack, NY: The Center for Applied Research in Education, Inc.