The Break Apart Strategy For Place Value
Breaking a 2-digit or larger number apart, or ungrouping the number, is a strategy that helps students see the value in place value. The tens place is not just a 4. It’s value is 40 or 4 tens. The more mental math tips that students have in their tool kit of skills, the easiest each step of the harder math skills become.
One of the best ways to each this strategy is with base ten blocks. I teach my students a "banking method" I'm taking a ten and I'm going to the bank and returning with 10 ones. It is a lot of fun to model it in the beginning, taking your ten piece and walking over to another table to trade it out for 10 ones. Later as they are practicing and reviewing this skill by themselves, it is wonderful to hear, "I'm taking these three hundreds to the bank..."
I like base ten blocks that are all one color, that way the students don't get confused with trading "red" for "green" instead of the skill of trading ones for tens. The above picture is a wonderful set at Amazon that are magnetic for your board or an independent center.
Students can roll their dice at the same time and the winner is the one with highest number. They can play to ten points, or if you have a few minutes before lunch or dismissal, play the lightening round... winner needs two wins. By having the students check each other's dice, there is more mental math going on in a short period of time.
More Matching Resources for Your Lessons
For each unit, I stick to one color to make it easier for the teacher to make, sort and store the lessons each year. For each section of the lesson I try to use the same adorable student clip art. That way, indirectly, the children know the task cards, the color your answers printables and the center games are all focusing on the same skill.
This math resource includes:
Four center game pages in color AND
Four center game printable pages in black and white to use as a Make and Take Math Center!
Teacher directions included.
Bonus: Two MATH CENTER signs, one in color and one in gray scale.
This math resource includes:
FIVE printables that are made to be an additional resource for any math series. FIVE answer keys included. Use them for your math center, small group, RTI pull out, seat work or homework. Perfect for a substitute day, high interest AND engaging!
This math resource includes: 36 Task Cards and Recording Printable Worksheet, with Answer Sheet Included. These task cards are made to be an additional resource for your math small group time, centers, RTI pull out, seat work or homework.
MORE OF MY PLACE VALUE RESOURCES
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Back to School Place Value Race - Cute Kid Theme!
How about you? Do you have any tips or tricks you would like to share? Please leave them in the comments and I'll also including them in my social media.
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