Place-Value Concepts: Intensive Intervention

National Center on
INTENSIVE INTERVENTION
at American Institutes for Research
Place-Value
Concepts
1000 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW

Washington, DC 20007
E-mail: NCII@air.org
While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be:
National Center on Intensive Intervention. (2015). Place-value concepts. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National Center on Intensive Intervention.
This document was produced under the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs,
Award No. H326Q110005. Celia Rosenquist serves as the project officer. The views expressed herein do not
necessarily represent the positions or polices of the U.S. Department of Education. No official endorsement
by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in this
website is intended or should be inferred.
Contents
1. Teaching Place-Value Concepts: Considerations for Instruction . . . . . . . . 1
2. Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones . . . . . . . . . . 8
Activity One: Representing Tens and Ones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
a. Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones . . . . . . . . . . . 12
b. Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones—Scaffolded . . . 14
3. Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Activity One: Using Base-10 Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
a. Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
b. Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks—Scaffolded . . . . . . . . 26
4. Understanding Place Value: Comparing Two-Digit Numbers . . . . . . . . . 29
Activity One: Representing Tens and Ones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
a. Understanding Place Value: Comparing Two-Digit Numbers . . . . . . . . . . 35
5. Supplemental Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
a. Number Line 0-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
b. Number Line 0-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
c. Base-10 Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

d. Place-Value Mat: Hundreds, Tens, Ones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
e. Place-Value Mat: Tens, Ones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
f. Two-Digit Number Flashcards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
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iv Intensive Instruction: Place-Value Concepts

Teaching Place-Value Concepts:
Considerations for Instruction
Purpose and Overview of Guide

The purpose of this guide is to provide strategies and materials for developing and
implementing lessons for students who need intensive instruction in place value. Special
education teachers, mathematics interventionists, and others working with students
struggling with place-value concepts may find this guide helpful.
Within college- and career-ready standards, place value is typically taught in grades K–5.
This guide can be used when place-value concepts are introduced or with students in
higher grade levels who continue to struggle with the concepts. Sample activities,
worksheets and supplemental materials also accompany the guide and are available for
download at http://www.intensiveintervention.org/.
The guide is divided into four sections:

1. Sequence of skills as defined by the college- and career-ready standards
2. A list of important vocabulary and symbols
3. A brief explanation of the difficulties students may have with place value
4. Suggested strategies for teaching place-value concepts
Sequence of Skills – College- and Career-Ready Standards

(Numbers in parentheses represents the grade level of the standard.)
EXTEND THE COUNTING SEQUENCE.

•Count to 120, starting at any number. (1)
•Read and write numerals. (1)
•Count within 1,000. (2)
•Skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s. (2)
UNDERSTAND PLACE VALUE.

•Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into tens and ones. (K)
•Understand a two-digit number as represented by amounts of tens and ones. (1)
•Understand 10 can be thought of as a bundle of 10 ones—called a “ten.” (1)

•Understand a three-digit number as represented by amounts of hundreds, tens,
and ones. (2)
•Read and write numbers to 1,000. (2)

•Compare two three-digit numbers. (2)
•Round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100. (3)
•Recognize that in a multidigit whole number, a digit in one place represents 10 times
what it represents in the place to its right. (4)
•Read and write multidigit whole numbers. (4)

•Compare two multidigit numbers. (4)
•Round multidigit whole numbers to any place. (4)
•Recognize that in a multidigit number, a digit in one place represents 10 times as
much as it represents in the place to its right and 1/10 of what it represents in the
place to its left. (5)
•Explain patterns in the number of zeros of the product when multiplying a number
by powers of 10. (5)
•Explain patterns in the placement of the decimal point when a decimal is multiplied
or divided by a power of 10. (5)
•Use whole-number exponents to denote powers of 10. (5)

•Read, write, and compare decimals to thousandths. (5)
•Compare two decimals to thousandths. (5)
•Round decimals to any place. (5)
Vocabulary and Symbols
The following terms are important for students to understand when working with place value.
Digit: A symbol used to show a Value: Quantity of a digit

Place: The position of a digit
number relative to the decimal
2 = 2 ones
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 39 = 3 tens and 9 ones

Ones, tens, hundreds, etc.
Place Value: The quantity

Standard notation: Writing a
Expanded notation: Writing a
represented by the position of a
number with one digit in each
number and showing the place
digit relative to the decimal
place value
value of each digit
42,103. 2 is in the thousands
42,103
40,000 + 2,000 + 100 + 3
place, so its place value is 2000.
2 Place-Value Concepts: Considerations for Instruction

Decimal point: A dot noting the
Word form: Writing a number
Decimal: A number written on the change from positive powers of
using words
basis of powers of ten ten (left of point) to negative
Forty-two thousand, one-hundred powers of ten (right of point)
53.109
three.
53.109
Zero: A digit representing the
absence of quantity. Zero is Round: Substitute an approxi
necessary in holding place value. Estimate: An approximate value mate value (usually to the
nearest 10, 100, 1,000, etc.)
402,005
Regroup: Exchange equal

amounts of tens and ones, Trade/exchange/borrow/carry/
hundreds and tens, thousands rename: Alternative terms for
and hundreds, etc. regrouping
10 ones = 1 ten
1,000 = 10 hundreds
Common Areas of Difficulty

Prerequisite skills not mastered:
•Knowledge or understanding of numbers
Specific Place-Value skills:
•Zero (0)
For example, 602 is not the same as 62
•Reading numbers
For example, two thousand, seventy-nine. NOT two thousand and seventy and nine.
•Understanding place value
For example, in the number 312, the 1 represents 1 ten, not 1 one.
Developing Conceptual Understanding

Base-10 blocks can be used to help students understand the concepts behind place
value. Base-10 blocks also can be used to explain decimals. Other place-value
manipulatives are Unifix cubes, snap cubes, plastic clips, and bean sticks/beans.
Place-Value Concepts: Considerations for Instruction 3

Activities and Strategies Related to Specific Standards
Count to 120, starting at any number. (1)
Count within 1,000. (2)
•Practice with counting objects, on number lines, or on hundreds charts.

•Count the number of school days.
Hundreds Chart
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 10
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
Skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s. (2)
•Practice with counting sets of objects, on number lines, or on hundreds charts.

•Sing counting songs. (Many examples are provided on YouTube.)
Read and write numerals. (1)
Read and write numbers to 1,000. (2)
Read and write multidigit whole numbers. (4)
•Practice handwriting for writing numerals.
§ Check for appropriate pencil grip.
§ Use poems to remember how to write numerals.
§ Explicitly teach students how to write numbers, and practice correct procedure.
•Write an orally presented number.
§ Present numbers of increasing difficulty.
•Break 23 into tens and ones.
§ 23 = 2 tens, 3 ones
•Represent 2 tens and 3 ones as a number.
§ 2 tens, 3 ones = 23
§ How many tens in 23?
§ How many ones in 23?

•Explain what each digit represents.
§ 972 = 9 hundreds, 7 tens, and 2 ones.
Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into tens and ones. (K)
Understand a two-digit number as represented by amounts of tens and ones. (1)
Understand 10 can be thought of as a bundle of 10 ones—called a “ten.” (1)
•Show 17 in base-10 units. How many sets of ten? How many remaining ones?
•Line up 10 base-10 units and show equivalency to one rod.
•Line up one base-10 rod and show equivalency to 10 units.
•Represent 45 with base-10 blocks. How many sets of ten? How many remaining ones?
•Use hands to show 45. Flash four bundles of 10 (“10, 20, 30, 40”). Hold up one
finger for each one (“41, 42, 43, 44, 45”).
•Draw circles around sets of 10 presented on paper.
Understand a three-digit number as represented by amounts of hundreds, tens, and

ones. (2)
•Line up 10 base-10 rods and show equivalency to 1 flat.

•Line up one base-10 flat and show equivalency to 10 rods. Show equivalency to
100 ones.
•Represent 124 with base-10 blocks. How many sets of hundred? How many sets
of ten? How many remaining ones?
•Draw a three-digit number with squares, lines, and little squares.

Compare two three-digit numbers. (2)
Compare two multidigit numbers. (4)
Read, write, and compare decimals to thousandths. (5)
•Teach < and > signs with a Greater Gator.
•Teach = sign with an understanding of making two sides of an equation the same.
•Use base-10 blocks to show two numbers. Compare.
§ Which amount is greater?
§ Which amount is smaller?
§ Are the amounts the same?
•Show two numbers in standard form.

•Show two numbers in expanded form.
•Show two numbers in word form.
§ Which amount is greater?
§ Which amount is less?
§ Which amount is bigger?
§ Which amount is smaller?
§ Are the amounts the same?
Recognize that in a multidigit whole number, a digit in one place represents 10 times
what it represents in the place to its right. (4)
Recognize that in a multidigit number, a digit in one place represents 10 times as

much as it represents in the place to its right and 1/10 of what it represents in
the place to its left. (5)
Explain patterns in the number of zeros of the product when multiplying a number
by powers of 10. (5)

Explain patterns in the placement of the decimal point when a decimal is multiplied
or divided by a power of 10. (5)
Use whole-number exponents to denote powers of 10. (5)
•Discuss 1 cube = 10 flats = 100 rods = 1,000 units.

•For decimals, discuss 1 flat = 10 rods (tenths) = 100 units (hundredths)
•Explain decimal point.
§ Discuss implicitness of decimal point for all whole numbers.
•425 has a decimal point after the 5, but we don’t write it that way. We write the
decimal point only if there are numbers to the right of the decimal point.
•Read the decimal point as “and.” 425.38 reads as “four-hundred twenty-five and
thirty-eight hundredths.”
•Show the following pattern:

§ 1 x 10 = 10
§ 10 x 10 = 100
§ 100 x 10 = 1,000
§ 1,000 x 10 = 10,000
§ 10,000 x 10 = 100,000
§ 0.1 x 10 = 1
§ 0.01 x 10 = 0.1
§ 0.001 x 10 = 0.01
•Explain exponents.
§ 100 = 1
§ 101 = 10
§ 102 = 100
§ 103 = 1,000
§ 104 = 10,000
§ 10-1 = 0.1
§ 10-2 = 0.01
§ 10-3 = 0.001
Round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100. (3)
Round multidigit whole numbers to any place. (4)
Round decimals to any place. (5)

§ Teach students to underline the place value of desired rounding. If the digit to
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the right of underlined digit is 0–4, round down. If 5–9, round up.
§ Round to the nearest ten thousand. 546,388. 550,000.

2. Place-Value Concepts:
Understanding Place Value:
Representing Tens and Ones
Sample Activities
a. Representing Tens and Ones
Worksheets
a. Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones
b. Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones—Scaffolded

College- and Career-Ready Standards Addressed:
K.NBT.1: Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into 10 ones and some
further ones.
•Record each composition or decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 18 = 10 + 8).

•Understand that these numbers are composed of 10 ones and one, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.
1.NBT.2: Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens
and ones. Understand the following as special cases:
•10 can be thought of as a bundle of 10 ones—called a ten.

•The numbers from 11 to 19 are composed of a ten and one, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, or nine ones.
•The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 refer to one, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, or nine tens (and 0 ones).
Activity One: Representing Tens and Ones

Purpose: To represent one- and two-digit numbers using concrete manipulatives.
Principles of Intensive Intervention Illustrated:
•Provide concrete learning opportunities (including use of manipulatives).

•Provide explicit error correction, and have students repeat the correct process.
•Use precise, simple language to teach key concepts or procedures.
•Use explicit instruction and modeling with repetition to teach a concept or
demonstrate steps in a process.
•Provide repeated opportunities to practice each step correctly.

Materials:
•Bears (or other manipulative to use for counting)

•Cups
•Paper and pencil or dry-erase board
•Number line (see Supplemental Materials)
•Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones (for extra
practice)
•Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones—Scaffolded

(for extra practice)

Modeling:
1. Write a two-digit number (e.g., 14). Show the two-digit number with bears. Say, “This
is the number 14. Let’s count out 14 bears.”
2. Introduce grouping into sets of 10. Count to 10 while holding up your fingers. Say,
“In math, we group objects and numbers into sets of 10. Count to 10 with me: 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. How many fingers am I holding up? 10. That’s right. I have a
set of 10 on my fingers. Can you show me a set of 10 with your fingers?”
3. Group bears into sets of 10. Each set of 10 goes into a cup. Say, “Let’s see how
many sets of 10 are in the number 14. Let’s count out 10 bears and place them in
this cup. Ready? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 10 bears go in a cup.”
4. [Try to] Make another set of 10. Say, “Each set of 10 goes into a cup.”
5. Discuss the inability to make any more sets of 10. Say, “We don’t have enough
bears to make another set of 10, so we’re finished making sets of 10.”
6. Discuss how the sets of 10 and remaining ones are noted in the written numeral.
Say, “How many sets of 10 did we make?” One. Say, “So, with 14 bears we have
one set of 10. I see the one set of 10 written here in the number 14.” Underline
the 1 in 14. Say, “How many remaining ones do we have?” Four. Say, “So, with
14 bears we have four remaining ones. I see the four remaining ones written here
in the number 14.” Underline the 4 in 14.
7. State that in a two-digit number, the left place is the tens and the right place is the
ones. Write the words “tens” and “ones” below 14.
8. Repeat with two more examples (e.g., 23, 35).
Guided Practice:
1. Write a two-digit number (e.g., 27). Have the student show the number with bears.
2. Have the student count out the sets of 10. The student places each set of 10 in a
different cup.
3. The student counts the sets of 10 and writes the number of tens.

4. The student counts the remaining ones and writes the number of ones.
5. The student states number of tens and ones in the original number (e.g., “27 is two
sets of 10 and seven ones”).
6. Repeat with two more examples (e.g., 42, 12).
7. Provide corrective feedback as necessary.
Corrective Feedback:
Example 1
Student response: “27 has one ten.”
Teacher feedback: 27 has 1 set of 10. That’s not quite right. Let’s check our work. Count
with me: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Put that set of 10 in a cup. 27 has another set of
10. Count with me: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Put that set of 10 in a cup. Can I make
another set of 10? Let me see: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. No. I can’t make another set of 10.
Only sets of 10 can go in a cup, so I leave these seven bears outside the cups. So, 27
has 1, 2 cups. That’s two sets of 10. 27 has seven remaining ones. 27 has two tens and
seven ones. How many tens and ones does 27 have?
Example 2
Student response: “27 has three tens.”
Teacher feedback: That’s not quite right. Let’s check our work. Remember, each cup must
have 10 bears. We are making sets of 10. 27 has one set of 10. Count with me: 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Put that set of 10 in a cup. 27 has another set of 10. Count with me:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Put that set of 10 in a cup. Can I make another set of 10? I
have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 remaining bears. Can seven bears go in a cup? No. Each cup must
have a set of 10 bears. 27 has 1, 2 cups. That’s two sets of 10. 27 has seven remaining
ones. 27 has two tens and seven ones. How many tens and ones does 27 have?
Example 3
Student response: Miscounts of ten.
Teacher feedback: That’s not quite right. Let’s check our work. Let’s practice counting to
10. Let’s put 10 bears in a row and count them. Let’s touch each bear as we give the bear
a count. Ready? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Now, let’s count to 10 using a number line.
Let’s touch each number as we count. Ready? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Now, count to
10 using our fingers. Hold up one finger for each number you count. Ready? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Now let’s count to 10 three times. Ready?
4430d_11/15

Worksheet

Objective: Represent one- and two-digit numbers using manipulatives and tell how
many tens and ones are in a two-digit number.
Directions: For each number, have students draw (with tallies, stars, circles) or use
manipulatives. Draw a circle around each group of ten, or otherwise mark to show a
group of ten. Then write how many tens and ones are in the number.
Number Count Tens Ones
Example
1 3
13
18

11
22
17
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Worksheet

Representing Tens and Ones—Scaffolded
Objective: Represent one- and two-digit numbers using representations and tell how many
tens and ones are in a two-digit number.
Directions: For each number, have students tally or shade in squares that represent ones
in the box provided, while counting. The squares are organized in groups of tens. Use the
representations to determine how many tens and ones are in the number.
Example
1 3
13
18

22
17
26

35
27
31
4430f_11/15

Using Base-10 Blocks
Sample Activities
a. Using Base-10 Blocks
Worksheets
a. Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks
b. Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks —Scaffolded

College- and Career-Ready Standard Addressed:
2.NBT.1 Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent hundreds, tens,
•100 can be thought of as a bundle of tens, or 10 tens, which is called a hundred.

•The numbers 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 refer to one,
two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine hundreds (with 0 tens and 0 ones).
Activity One: Using Base-10 Blocks

Purpose: To represent three-digit numbers using proportional concrete manipulatives.


•Once students can complete entire examples and explain their work, incorporate
fluency-building activities.
Materials:
•Base-10 blocks (see Supplemental Materials)

•Place-value mat with columns for hundreds (flats), tens (rods), and ones (units—
see Supplemental Materials)
•Paper and pencil or dry-erase board

•Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks (for extra practice)
•Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks—Scaffolded (for
extra practice)

Hundreds Tens Ones
Modeling:
1. Review a one-digit number with the student. Write the number and place the
corresponding number of units on a place-value mat. For example say, “This is the
number 7. I can show the number 7 using my place-value mat. The number 7 has
7 in the ones place. We use these little blocks, called units, to show the number
of ones. I count out 1, 2, …, 7 units and place them in the ones column of the
mat. The number 7 does not have any tens or any hundreds, so we leave those
columns empty: 7 = 7 ones.”
2. Review the number 10. Write the number 10. Place 10 units in the ones column.
Line them up to show 10 units = 1 rod. Exchange the 10 ones (units) for 1 ten (rod)
and place in the tens column.
3. Point to the 1 in the tens place of written number (10) and the 1 rod in the tens
column on the place-value mat. Emphasize that 0 in the ones place of a written
number corresponds to an empty ones column on the place-value mat. If necessary,
repeat with two more two-digit numbers (e.g., 35 and 70).
4. Write a three-digit number (e.g., 142). Place two units, four rods, and one flat in
their corresponding columns. Explain that the two units equal the number of ones in
the number 2, the four rods equal the number of tens in the number 4, and the one
flat equals the number of hundreds in the number 1. Draw a connection between the
numbers of objects in each column of the place-value mat the corresponding digits in
the written number.
Hundreds Tens Ones

= 142

5. Provide two more examples (e.g., 623 and 551).
6. Explain that hundreds are special numbers because they are bundles of tens, or 10
tens (have students count out 10 tens to make 100). “The numbers 100, 200, …,
900 refer to 1, 2, …, 9 bundles of ten. They are different because they have 0 tens
and 0 ones.” Write a three-digit number representing a multiple of 100 (e.g., 300).
Use base-10 blocks to represent the number.
Hundreds Tens Ones
7. State that there are 0 ones, so the ones column is empty. Because there are 0
tens, the tens column also is empty. There are 3 hundreds, and so there are three
flats in the hundreds column.
8. Repeat with two more examples (e.g., 700 and 400).

Guided Practice:
1. Write a three-digit number (e.g., 352); have the student represent it with base-10
blocks on a place-value mat.
2. Have the student state the number of ones, tens, and hundreds in the number.
Ensure that it corresponds with the number of blocks on the place-value mat.
Repeat with two more examples (e.g., 919 and 402).
3. Write a three-digit multiple of 100 (e.g., 200); have the student represent it with
base-10 blocks.
4. Have the student state the number of ones, tens, and hundreds in the number.
Ensure that it corresponds with the number of blocks on the place-value mat.
Repeat with two more examples (e.g., 700 and 900).
5. Provide corrective feedback as necessary.
Corrective Feedback:
Example 1
Student response: “402 = forty-two”
Teacher feedback: “This number is four hundred two. It has three digits (point and count):
402 has 4 hundreds, 0 tens, and 2 ones. This number is forty-two. It has only two digits
(point and count): 42 has 4 tens and 2 ones. The 0 in 402 is a placeholder and helps us
remember that there are no tens in this number. Let’s use two place-value mats to show
both numbers so that we can see how they are different.”
Example 2
Student response: “200 has 20 tens and 0 ones. So I put 20 rods in the tens column of
my place-value mat, and I leave the ones column empty.”
Teacher feedback: “Remember, each column can have only up to 9. If we have 10 of

something, we must exchange. Remember, 10 ones = 1 ten and 10 tens = 1 hundred.
I see that you put 20 rods to show 20 tens in your tens column. If we have a group of 10
rods, we exchange them for a flat because 10 tens is 1 hundred. Let’s count by 10 to see:
10, 20, …, 100. So, we take these 10 rods out and exchange them for 1 flat. Where do
we put the flat? Good. It goes in the hundreds column. Do you think we have enough rods
in the tens column to exchange again? Show me. Good. Let’s look at the number again:
200. How many hundreds are in 200? Yes, two. That’s why we have 2 flats in the hundreds
column of our place-value mat. How many tens are in 200? How many ones?”

Example 3
The student’s responses indicate that he or she has a conceptual understanding

of basic place value but lacks fluency in recognizing the value of individual digits in
multidigit numbers.
Teacher feedback: Play Meet or Beat Your Score with place-value flashcards. The
flashcards should have one three-digit number printed on one side, with one of the digits
bolded (e.g., 348 with 4 bolded). The student reads the number aloud (e.g., “three
hundred forty-eight”) and then identifies the place value associated with the bolded digit
and assigns meaning to that value (e.g., “four stands for 4 tens or 40”). If the student
responds correctly, place the card in a pile. If the student responds incorrectly, provide
immediate corrective feedback and have him or her repeat that card; then put it in the
pile. The student has one minute to answer as many flashcards as possible, and the
score is noted. Then the student has one minute to try to meet or beat that score.
4430g_11/15

Worksheet
Objective: Represent three-digit numbers as flats, rods, and units and tell how many
hundreds, tens, and ones are in a three-digit number. Count flats, rods, and units to
determine what three-digit number is being displayed.
Directions: Use flats (hundreds), rods (tens), and units (ones) to build the number or draw
a representation in the box. Write how many hundreds, tens, and ones are in each number.
Example: Build or Draw the Number
123
Hundreds Tens Ones
1 2 3
219
Hundreds Tens Ones

495
Hundreds Tens Ones
572
Hundreds Tens Ones
314
Hundreds Tens Ones

231
Hundreds Tens Ones
105
Hundreds Tens Ones
4430h_11/15

Worksheet

Using Base-10 Blocks—Scaffolded
Objective: Represent three-digit numbers as flats, rods, and units and tell how many
hundreds, tens, and ones are in a three-digit number. Count flats, rods, and units to
determine what three-digit number is being displayed.
Directions: Count and write the number of hundreds, tens, and ones. Then write the
number that is represented by the blocks.
Hundreds Tens Ones Number
111
1
_______ 1
_______ 1
_______
_______ _______ _______

_______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______

_______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______

4430i_11/15

Comparing Two-Digit Numbers
Sample Activities
a. Comparing Two-Digit Numbers
Worksheets
a. Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Comparing Two-Digit Numbers

College- and Career-Ready Standards Addressed:
1.NBT.B.2 Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens
•10 can be thought of as a bundle of ten ones, or 10 tens, called a ten.

•The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 refer to one, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, or nine tens (and 0 ones).
1.NBT.B.3 Compare two-digit numbers based on meanings of the tens and ones digits,
recording the results of comparisons with >, =, and < symbols.
Activity One: Representing Tens and Ones

Purpose: To compare 2 digit numbers with and without the use of manipulatives.


•Once students can complete entire examples and explain their work, incorporate
fluency building activities.
•Have students explain new concepts, in their own words, incorporating the important
terms you’ve taught.
•Break tasks into smaller steps, compared to less intensive levels of
instruction/intervention
Materials:
•Base-10 blocks (see Supplemental Materials)

•Place value mat with columns for tens (rods), and ones (units)
(see Supplemental Materials)
•Paper/pencil or dry-erase board

•Flash cards with 2-digit numbers on one side (see Supplemental Materials)
•Worksheet: Understanding Place Value: Comparing Two-Digit Numbers (for
extra practice)

Tens Ones
Modeling:
1. Use the Greater Gator to review Greater than >, Less than <, Equal to =.
Remind students: The gator always wants to eat the bigger number.
Write one digit numbers on opposite ends of the board or display values with
ones units. Tell students to make the “Greater Gator” symbols with their arms
or fingers to show which number is larger. After each example say, “Yes, ___ is
greater than ___.”
2. Engage students in a discussion. Ask, “Which is bigger, a one or a ten?” Display
a 1 dollar bill and a 10 dollar bill. Say, “That’s right, we would say that a ten is
bigger or larger. Bigger and larger mean the same thing.” Push students to explain
their reasoning by using place value. Ask, “How do you know that a ten is larger
than a 1?” Have students discuss this question with a partner and use base-10
blocks or a place value mat to aid their explanation.
•Note whether or not students mention place value in their reasoning. If students
do not mention place value in their reasoning or appear to be stuck, display 10 and 1
vertically in a place value chart like the one below.
Tens Ones
1 0
1
•Display a ones unit and a tens rod. Point to the chart as you explain that a one
is smaller than a ten. Ask, “How many ones does it take to make a ten? Yes, it
takes ten.”

3. Explain the purpose of the lesson to students. Say, “We will learn how to use
place value to compare numbers. Compare means to look at two things, often
side by side, and to figure out how they are different. You will be able to look at
two numbers and tell which one is larger, or bigger. When you want to know which
number is largest, you can use base-10 blocks or a place value chart to help.”
4. Tell students that you will show them how to compare 2 numbers and tell which
number is larger using base-10 blocks.
5. Display the numbers 65 and 47 vertically on lined or graph paper.
6. Now explain to students, “We know that the number 65 has 6 tens and 5 ones,”
as you write the number on a place value chart.
7. Now display the value with base-10 blocks where the students can see.
Tens = 6, ones = 5
8. Explain, “When we compare two things, we want to look at the two things right
by one another. This will help us to see how they are different. Let’s look at the
other number.”
9. Tell the students to write the number 47 on their place value mat. Ask, “How
many tens?” 4. “How many ones?” 7.
10. Tell the students to show the number 47 with base-10 blocks while you model
with blocks as well. Tens = 4, ones = 7
11. Tell students you want to see which number is larger. You want to start by looking
at the largest blocks or the largest place value. Ask, “Which are larger, tens or
ones?” The tens.
§ Explain while pointing to the blocks and the place value mat, “65 has 6 tens. 47
only has 4 tens. We can see that 65 is bigger than 47 just by looking at the tens.”
12. Ask, “Which number would the “Greater Gator” want to eat?” Write a symbol
between the two numbers as they are displayed and say “65 is greater than 47.”
65 > 47
13. Repeat with an example where the tens are the same and the ones are different,
such as: 82 and 84.
§ Tell students to compare the tens in these two numbers. Ask students, “Which
number has more tens?”
§ Explain, “The number 82 has 8 tens. The number 84 also has 8 tens. The tens
are the same, or equal. When the values of the tens are the same, we need to
move over to the next place value and look at the ones.”

Guided Practice:
1. Display the numbers 37 and 41. Remind students that in order to tell which
number is larger, we want to look at the two numbers right by one another, or
compare them, so that we can see how they are different. Place value charts and
blocks can help us do that.
2. Tell students to write each number in the place value chart. For each number, ask
the students, “How many tens? How many ones?”
§ Tip: Increase opportunities for response by giving students a “signal” (e.g., a
clap, tap, or snap of your fingers) to provide a choral response or using
response cards with numbers.
3. Tell students, “We can look at the largest place value first to see which number is
larger. Which place value is the largest? Yes, the tens.”
4. Tell students, “Look at the tens. Which number has more tens? Tell your partner
which number has more tens.”
5. Check with students, “How many partners think 37 is larger? How many partners
think 41 is larger? Let’s check with base-10 blocks.” Prompt students to build
both numbers with blocks to check to see if they were correct.
6. Tell students to turn and talk with their partners. Partners should take turns
explaining how they know which number is larger.
§ Prompts, “Which place value should we compare first? Which place value is
the largest? Which number has more hundreds?”
7. Prompt students to compare the two numbers using the “Greater Gator” symbols.
8. Display 37 < 41 for all students to see. Have students check their answers.
9. Repeat steps above using an example where the tens are the same and the ones
are different such as: 93 and 96.
Scaffolding Tips:
The intensity of this activity can be altered, depending on student needs, by scaffolding the
skill of comparing 2-digit numbers into 2 parts:
•Determining the larger 2-digit number by comparing 1 place value (tens)

•Determining the larger 2-digit number by comparing 2 place values (tens and ones)
These skills could be taught together, or could be broken up, across several days if needed.
The following sequence details how the teaching of these skills could be broken up.

Independent Practice:
1. Students will play a game in pairs. Each pair of students will receive a deck of
2-digit number cards. Each student should take half of the deck and lay their
cards face down.
2. Pairs of students will simultaneously flip one card from their piles and compare
their cards. The student with the largest card gets to take both cards.
§ The deck of numbered cards should include multiple colored cards which will
be “Prove it!” cards. When a “Prove it!” card is flipped, students have to use a
place value mat or base-10 blocks to prove which number is larger. Students
will then display the number comparison so that they teacher can see their
work as he or she circulates the room.
Adaptation for Struggling Students:
•Create decks containing cards with only ones place value until students build fluency.
•Before students play the game, have students underline each tens place value in
the numbers on their cards or write “tens” and “ones” above the digits like in their
place value charts.
•Require students to “Prove it!” for each set of cards that is flipped and record
each comparison.
Adaptation to Increase Difficulty:
•Group students in threes of fours to increase the amount of numbers that students
must compare.
•Create decks containing cards with 3 place values rather than 2, including challenging
cards where multiple place values are the same.
4430j_11/15

Worksheet
Objective: Compare two two-digit numbers using the symbols < = >.
Directions: Write the two numbers in the tables provided and compare the two numbers
using the symbols < = >.
Greater than Less than Equal to

> < =
Example: 54 and 82 1. 36 and 22
Tens Ones Tens Ones

5 4
8 2
54 < 82
Compare: _________________________ Compare: _________________________
2. 14 and 12 3. 26 and 22
Tens Ones Tens Ones
Compare: _________________________ Compare: _________________________

4. 76 and 67 5. 86 and 81
Tens Ones Tens Ones
Compare: _________________________ Compare: _________________________
6. 65 and 52 7. 18 and 12
Tens Ones Tens Ones
Compare: _________________________ Compare: _________________________
8. 36 and 35 9. 45 and 43
Tens Ones Tens Ones
Compare: _________________________ Compare: _________________________
10. 84 and 82 11. 26 and 22
Tens Ones Tens Ones
Compare: _________________________ Compare: _________________________
12. 97 and 99 13. 47 and 74
Tens Ones Tens Ones
Compare: _________________________ Compare: _________________________

14. 63 and 66 15. 59 and 60
Tens Ones Tens Ones
Compare: _________________________ Compare: _________________________
4430k_11/15

5. Supplemental Materials
a. Number Line 0–10
b. Number Line 0–20
c. Base-10 Blocks
d. Place-Value Mat: Hundreds, Tens, Ones
e. Place-Value Mat: Tens, Ones
f. Two-Digit Number Flashcards
4430k-1_11/15

a. Number Line 0-10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4430l_11/15
b. Number Line 0-20
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
4430m_11/15
c. Base-10 Blocks
4430n_11/15
d. Place-Value Mat: Hundreds, Tens, Ones
Hundreds Tens Ones
4430o_11/15
e. Place-Value Mat: Tens, Ones
Tens Ones
4430o_11/15
f. Two-Digit Number Flashcards
27 91
31 49
18 56
64 82
73 15
68 37
80 22
43 54
96 30
61 17
34 45
28 89
50 2
7 76
95 52
73
13
4430q_11/15

Place-Value Concepts: Intensive Intervention

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National Center on

1000 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW

2. Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones . . . . . . . . . . 8

Activity One: Representing Tens and Ones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

a. Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones . . . . . . . . . . . 12

b. Understanding Place Value: Representing Tens and Ones—Scaffolded . . . 14

3. Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Activity One: Using Base-10 Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

a. Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

b. Understanding Place Value: Using Base-10 Blocks—Scaffolded . . . . . . . . 26

4. Understanding Place Value: Comparing Two-Digit Numbers . . . . . . . . . 29

Activity One: Representing Tens and Ones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

a. Understanding Place Value: Comparing Two-Digit Numbers . . . . . . . . . . 35

a. Number Line 0-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

b. Number Line 0-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

c. Base-10 Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

1000 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW

e. Place-Value Mat: Tens, Ones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

f. Two-Digit Number Flashcards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

iv Intensive Instruction: Place-Value Concepts

Purpose and Overview of Guide

The guide is divided into four sections:

Sequence of Skills – College- and Career-Ready Standards

EXTEND THE COUNTING SEQUENCE.

•Read and write numerals. (1)

•Count within 1,000. (2)

•Skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s. (2)

UNDERSTAND PLACE VALUE.

1000 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW

•Read and write numbers to 1,000. (2)

•Read and write multidigit whole numbers. (4)

•Use whole-number exponents to denote powers of 10. (5)

Digit: A symbol used to show a Value: Quantity of a digit

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 39 = 3 tens and 9 ones

Place Value: The quantity

2 Place-Value Concepts: Considerations for Instruction

Regroup: Exchange equal

Common Areas of Difficulty

•Knowledge or understanding of numbers

Specific Place-Value skills:

For example, 602 is not the same as 62

•Understanding place value

Developing Conceptual Understanding

Place-Value Concepts: Considerations for Instruction 3

Count within 1,000. (2)

•Practice with counting objects, on number lines, or on hundreds charts.

Skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s. (2)

•Practice with counting sets of objects, on number lines, or on hundreds charts.

Read and write numbers to 1,000. (2)

Read and write multidigit whole numbers. (4)

•Practice handwriting for writing numerals.

§ Check for appropriate pencil grip.

§ Use poems to remember how to write numerals.

•Write an orally presented number.

§ Present numbers of increasing difficulty.

•Break 23 into tens and ones.

•Represent 2 tens and 3 ones as a number.

§ How many tens in 23?

§ How many ones in 23?