Place value is a fundamental concept for upper-grade students, and as they progress in their math journey, the complexity of numbers also increases. However, mastering place value becomes achievable with the right approach to meaningful practice.
Below is a treasure trove of place value activities for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders that will help your students become place value masters!
Place Value Activities: Color by Numbers
These are a fun and engaging way to practice specific place value standards. These self-checking color-by-numbers are differentiated and include three versions to meet your student’s needs quickly.
They are easy to plug into any of your math lesson plans. Use them in math centers, small groups, for independent work, in morning work, or even leave them for a sub. The options are endless.
These color-by-number activities are a great option because they target individual standards and skills. If you want to give your students extra practice with a specific skill, look below!
5th Grade Color by Numbers:
- Decimal Place Value System
- Multiplying and Dividing Decimals by Powers of 10 with 10, 100, and 1,000
- Multiplying and Dividing Decimals by Powers of 10 with exponents
- Read and Write Numbers
- Comparing Decimals
- Rounding Decimals
4th Grade Color by Numbers:
3rd Grade Color by Numbers:
Place Value Activities: Place Value Pillboxes
Undercover Classroom has an excellent tool for working with place value… dollar store pillboxes! Check out how she uses pillboxes to help students learn about place value. This could work with any set of standards. If you’re teaching decimal place values, you can easily switch the pillboxes up to include decimals instead of going to the millions place.
Place Value Activities: Place Value Yahtzee
Games for Gains offers a free place value Yahtzee game with multiple versions, so you can play it regardless of the number of digits you are working with. Learn how to play this game and download the free scorecards here.
Place Value Activities: Math City Bank
This is a real-world math project your students will love! In this project, students must work with numbers like bankers. The Math City Bank is available in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade standards.
Each project includes a differentiated version and an extension activity so you can meet the various needs of your students. This project offers students an up-close look at why they must develop their place value skills.
The Math City Bank is one of ten real-world math projects in the Math City world. Each project covers a different grade-level math skill (ex., measurement conversions, multiplication and division, ect.) Each time your students complete a Math City project, they can add that building to a file folder city map. At the end of the year, students will have a Math City portfolio that lists all the math skills they have learned throughout the year.
Place Value Activities: Place Value Differentiation Toolkit
This free chart is filled with place value tools your students can use while working on place value activities.
Toolkits are easy to use. All you need to do is print the toolkit page, select three tools, and then place the built toolkit in a page protector for your students to use and reuse with any place value activity they are working on.
This kit includes various tools with multiple place value standards and skills. There are rounding, comparing, writing numbers, and computation tools. Grab your free toolkit here.
Place Value Activities: Rounding Numbers Activity
This free activity from Jennifer Findley includes options for whole and decimal numbers. Use it for independent practice or in a math center!
Place Value Activities: Road Trip Math Project
This is a math project your students will surely enjoy. It includes a variety of place value skills covered in upper grades. This project is available in a version with whole numbers or decimal numbers.
In this engaging project, students must decide which road trip route they should take from Baltimore, Maryland, to San Diego, California.
Once their route is set, they will start their trip and use various place value skills to look at gas prices, food options, and more. It is fun to wrap up your place value unit or review place value skills.
Even in the upper grades, practicing place value doesn’t have to be boring. Students need practice to develop their skills; sometimes, you want more than your curriculum offers. Hopefully, you found some activities to help you spice up your place value practice options and engage your students.
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