If you know of any wee person who is having trouble with numeric place value or likes an on-going challenge, here you go! This activity is one that can be revisited whenever a free moment arises.
All you need is a paper clip, pencil, scissors, tape, and some 1/2 inch square graph paper. I brought some graph paper along to share with you. Click right HERE to download a few sheets. You know where there's more when you need some.
Place Value StripsTo begin, we're going to cut out place value strips. Cut a strip one grid wide, several two grids wide, and a few three grids wide.
Now grab your pencil and the one grid sheet and we're off! Start at the top and write a zero. (The big deal about understanding place value is know where to put that dad-burned zero. For real...once a kiddo is confident with that ghostly number it's clear sailing from there on out!)
All right...write the numbers 1 through 9 in sequence, one numberal in each square grid. Yipes! The number 10 has two numerals, doesn't it? A 1 and the phantom zero. What do we do?
No sweat. Just tape a two grid strip to under the number 9, making sure that the additional grid space extends to the left.
Like I said, it's all about where you put the zero. Write the number 10 in the grid spaces below your 9 by placing the 1 in the grid to the left and the 0 directly below the 9. Now we're off to the races!
Keep writing numbers sequentially in this fashion until you reach 99. Then, guess what, you're going to begin using the three grid strips. Like before, tape the three-skee with the addition grid extending to the left. Write the number 100 by placing the 1 in the new grid space and and, now, two zeros in the grid spaces to the right.
From here on out really watch where those zeros are placed, those pesky devils. When you reach 999 you have graduated to four space place value grid sheets! Good for you!
The longest number roll I've ever seen stopped at the number 5,725. I'll bet yours will beat that one.