For this activity you will need 18 index cards, a black marker, and notebook paper.
Separate your index cards into two piles of nine. Take the first set and use the marker to label the cards 1 through 9, one number on each card. Do the same thing with the second set of cards.
Now put all the cards face down on the table and mix them up. Draw two random cards and turn them over so you can see the numbers. Place the cards next to each other to form a random number.
Say you draw a 4 and a 7. You can put them next to each other to make 47 or 74.
Once you have made your number, write it on your notebook paper. Then look at the place values of your number.
Below the number, write down information about each place value. Say you chose 74 as your number. You would write: There are 7 tens and 4 ones in 74.
Remember that a whole number with three digits has a hundreds place, tens place, and ones place (also called hundreds column, tens column, and ones column). A whole number with two digits has a tens and a ones place. A whole number with one digit has only a ones place.
Draw another index card from your pile. Add it to the end of your number to form a new number.
Say you draw a 2. Add it to 74. You now have 742. Write the information on your notebook paper.
There are 7 hundreds, 4 tens and 2 ones in 742.
You can keep practicing with your cards until you feel comfortable with place value.
Ready to move on to the next lesson?
Describing Numbers
