On the Playground: How Do You Build Place Value? by Donna Loughran Math Objective Using observation and building through imaginative play, children learn that a number has digits and that each digit shows place value. Children explore the idea that the three digits of a three-­‐digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones. Children compare two-­‐ and three-­‐digit numbers using the ideas of greater than and less than. iMath Discover Activity In this activity, children roll three number cubes to make a three-­‐digit number. They pronounce the number aloud to learn to read number names. Children then break down the number and tell how many hundreds, tens, and ones are in it. This helps them understand that the digits of a three-­‐digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones. Objectives Children will: • compose and decompose numbers. • understand that number digits represent place value. • learn how to name the hundreds, tens, and ones in a number. • pronounce number names correctly. www.norwoodhousepress.com Materials • paper • pencil • 3 number cubes On the Playground: How Do You Build Place Value? Teacher N otes • 1 Lesson Plan Before Reading Investigation Math Concepts Ask children to tell what they know about Understand that the three digits of a what a builder does. Ask: What tools and three-­‐digit number represent amounts supplies does a builder use? Make a list on of hundreds, tens, and ones. the board of the children’s answers. Hold 10 can be thought of as a bundle of ten up the picture of the screw plugs on p. 4. ones — called a “ten.” 100 can be Tell students that builders use screw thought of as a bundle of ten tens — plugs to screw and lock plastic pieces called a “hundred.” together. Read p. 5 aloud. Ask: How many of the plugs do you think it would take to build a playground set? Children may guess different large numbers. Write these guesses on the board. Break down the numbers they volunteer into hundreds, tens, and ones. Provide paper, rulers, and drawing Connecting to how math is used to materials. Ask children to draw make something concrete helps themselves on their favorite playground children engage in the topic. object. Ask: How do you think a builder might use math to build this object? Explain that they will read about two children who help their father build a playground set. During Reading Investigation pp. 6–7: Read these pages aloud. Invite children to answer the questions. Ask children to share how they think they might use place-­‐value blocks, bean sticks, and linking cubes to show numbers and place value. Provide blocks, bean sticks, and linking cubes. Math Concepts Manipulating math models helps children think about and engage with the topic. www.norwoodhousepress.com On the Playground: How Do You Build Place Value? Teacher N otes • 2 During Reading (continued) Investigation Math Concepts p. 9: Provide place-­‐value blocks. Say: Children understand that the digits of a Mr. Bryan asks for 54 plugs. Use the two-­‐digit number represent amounts of place-­‐value blocks to model this number. tens and ones. Children also understand Walk around the room to see that that the numbers from 11 to 19 are children understand the idea of place composed of a ten and one, two, three, value. Then ask: If Mr. Bryan wanted 6 four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones. more plugs, how many blocks would you And the numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, have in the ones column? (0) How many 80, 90 refer to one, two, three, four, five, tens would you have in the tens column? six, seven, eight, or nine tens (and 0 ones). (6) p. 10: Provide bean sticks. Reread p. 10 Children understand that the three digits aloud. Write 330 on the board. Ask: of a three-­‐digit number represent How many hundreds are in the number amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones. 330? Have children use the bean sticks to create three bundles of 100. Ask: How many tens are in 330? Children use the bean sticks to create three tens. Have children check each other’s work. pp. 11–12: Provide linking cubes. Children learn that greater than and less Reread the pages aloud. Look at the than can be determined by comparing comparison problem on p. 12 together. place value. Compare two two-­‐ and three-­‐
Ask: There are 61 green balls and 58 digit numbers based on meanings of the blue balls. Can we use place value to find hundreds, tens, and ones digits, recording which number is greater than the other? the results of comparisons with the Have a volunteer write the numbers on symbols >, =, and <. the board. Solve the problem together using linking cubes to compare first the tens place in the two numbers and then the ones. Write the answer on the board using the symbols > and <. Then move on to the second problem using the same strategy. p. 13: Go online and find some pictures Children learn that builders use math and of blueprints to share. Ask: Why do make a careful design plan before they builders make a detailed plan of a build. building before they build? Encourage discussion with prompts, such as: Do you think a builder has to measure the place where the playground will be built first? Why? pp. 14–15: Ask: Have you ever taken a Tapping into children’s own experience ride on a merry-­‐go-­‐round or carousel? If helps them remember historical you were going to design an animal for connections and unusual words, like your own merry-­‐go-­‐round, what animal carousel. www.norwoodhousepress.com On the Playground: How Do You Build Place Value? Teacher N otes • 3 would you use? Record children’s answers. p. 16: Read the poem aloud. Ask: How does swinging make you feel? What can you see when you swing on a swing set near you? Write the children’s descriptive words and ideas on the board. pp. 17–18: Reread these pages aloud. Invite children to answer the questions. Have volunteers write the problems and answers on the board. pp. 19–20: Reread these pages aloud. Have children explain why they think certain strategies (place-­‐value blocks, bean sticks, linking cubes) work better than others. Encourage them to give reasons to help support their conclusions. p. 21: Work with children to help them plan their own design for a playground object. Provide paper and drawing materials for their plans. Writing the children’s own words down helps them explore the idea of using descriptive words and lively language. Children learn that greater than and less than can be determined by comparing place value. Compare two two-­‐ and three-­‐
digit numbers based on meanings of the hundreds, tens, and ones digits, recording the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, and <. Reason and understand why certain strategies may be better than others. Children manipulate and build concrete models or drawings to explore their own engineering skills. They make their own drawings and models to understand the relationship between numbers and quantities. After Reading Ask children to restate the key ideas in the book. Investigation Understanding Math Take children to the school playground. Children use rulers and measuring tapes Provide drawing paper and measuring to measure a space for an actual design. tools. Have children take measurements and discuss putting the playground object they designed into the existing playground set. Encourage children to think about safety issues and placement in their plans. Write greater than and less than and Children learn that greater than and less equal symbols on large note cards. than can be determined by comparing Make two sets of these cards. Children place value. Compare two two-­‐ and three-­‐
play a game in pairs. Ask: Is (number) digit numbers based on meanings of the www.norwoodhousepress.com On the Playground: How Do You Build Place Value? Teacher N otes • 4 greater than, less than, or equal to (number)? Children flash their answers without looking at each other’s cards. www.norwoodhousepress.com hundreds, tens, and ones digits, recording the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, and <. On the Playground: How Do You Build Place Value? Teacher N otes • 5