TITLE:  REINFORCEMENT LESSON IN PLACE VALUE

AUTHOR:  Morgan Cottle; Ashland, OR

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  2-4

OVERVIEW:  This is a lesson in place value that never fails
to build excitement and generates groans of disapproval when
it is time to quit.  The level of difficulty can be varied
based on the grade level and time of year.

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this lesson is to build the
students knowledge of place value utilizing a more hands on
"thinking approach."

OBJECTIVES:  Using prediction strategies, the students will
show the ability to order digits to create the highest or
lowest possible number.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:  Each student needs a copy of a game
sheet and writing utensil.  The teacher needs to have a copy
of the games sheet on the overhead and a dice.  I use a big
dice, 4" X 4", made from a coffee cup gift box.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:  Each student will have a piece
of paper that is divided into columns and rows.  The number
of columns dictates how far you want the place value lesson
to go, 5 rows goes into the tens of thousand, 3 rows into
the hundreds.  The number of rows dictates the number of
games to be played.  The teacher has a student roll the dice
to see which is the first digit that needs to be placed.
Once the digit is revealed, the student needs to decide
where that digit should be placed.  If the goal is to create
the highest number into the hundreds and the first digit
rolled is a 1, I would hope the student would not place it
into the hundreds column but into the ones column instead.
Once all the students have written down where that first
digit is located then another student rolls the dice for the
next number, and so on until all the needed digits have been
rolled.  When it is completed ask for someone to tell you
what the highest possible number could have been, and see
how many created that number.  It is fun for the students to
see if the teacher created the number too!  This works well
for the lowest possible number also.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  As the year goes on I vary this
lesson to include creation of multiplication problems and
division problems.  This is a good follow up activity to a
more hands on introduction of place value.  While the
students are getting more practice in place value in a game
like setting, the students who do not relate well to
competition will still succeed by playing along and watching
the other students volunteer information.