how to teach 3-digit place value, learn with emily dot com

How to Teach 3-Digit Place Value with Base-10 Manipluatives and Math Fundamentals

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I started using Evan-Moor math curriculum with my children a couple of weeks ago. We use Math Fundamentals to teach math concepts and Daily Math Practice for concept practice and mastery. As I was working with my daughter in Math Fundamentals Grade 2, she become a little stuck on the 3-digit place value concepts. Place value concepts were difficult for her to grasp last year and I added in manipulatives to facilitate understanding. Kinesthetic learners, including my second grader, may need physical representations to help them grasp math concepts, including when you teach 3-digit place value.

Supplies to Teach 3-Digit Place Value

Math Fundamentals, Grade 2 - Print

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In order to teach second grade level 3-digit place value concepts, I used my set of Base-10 blocks and the “Understanding Place Value” teaching pages from my second grade Math Fundamentals book. The Math Fundamentals book presents concepts visually, making it easy to add in manipulatives for kinesthetic learners. If you are using a different math curriculum, you may need to make additional visuals teach the concepts. CLICK HERE to see the additional visuals I made last year when we were using Mammoth Math.

CLICK HERE to go to the Base-10 block set that I recommend and use.

CLICK HERE to go to Evan-Moor’s website to see their Math Fundamentals books.

CLICK HERE to read my complete review of Evan-Moor’s Math Fundamentals.

Activities to Teach 3-Digit Place Value

Introduce the 3-Digit Place Value Concept

As you can see Evan-Moor’s visual representation for the 3-digit place value concept is very clear. For my kinesthetic learner, I showed her the Math Fundamentals page above, and then presented the same physical blocks from our Base-10 set.

Present physical base-10 blocks and have the child tell you the number.

Next, I practiced with my daughter by presenting various combinations of 3-digit numbers with base-10 blocks and had my daughter tell me what number the blocks represented. At first I had to help guide her through the process. After a couple of tries, she started to get it. Then we did a few more for practice and she was able to accurately tell me the number the base-10 blocks represented.

Tell the child a 3-digit number and have them get out the right base-10 blocks to represent that same number.

Next, I pulled numbers off of the practice place value pages and had my daughter get out the corresponding base-10 blocks. She caught on pretty quickly and we were on to the next step after only a few practice trials.

Continue on with the place value practice pages.

I pulled out our place value practice pages next and we used them with the base-10 blocks. She seemed to understand the concepts, so we then faded out the base-10 manipulatives. She was able to complete the rest of the page independently.

Conclusion on Teaching 3-Digit Place Value Concepts

Last year, it took weeks of working with manipulatives for my daughter to understand 2-digit place value concepts. This year, with the help of Math Fundamentals and Base-10 blocks, we were able to master the concept of 3-digit place value concepts in one lesson period.

CLICK HERE to read about my top recommended math manipulatives for grades K-3.

CLICK HERE to read more about Evan-Moor’s math curriculum.


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