Math lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes
Value of a digit in four-digit numbers
Number sense
CCSS 4.NBT.A.2England: Y4 Number and place value
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Value of a digit in four-digit numbers.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Hundreds, tens and ones
Leads to: Write four-digit numbers in expanded form; Read and write four-digit numbers in words; Compare four-digit numbers
Materials: Place value chart, Base-ten blocks or a number line, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Hundreds, tens and ones). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What is the value of the digit 4 in 543? → 40Prompt: Which place is the digit in: hundreds, tens or ones?
- Write as a number: 500 + 4 → 504Prompt: Each part fills one place: hundreds, tens, ones.
- What is the value of the digit 2 in 126? → 20Prompt: Which place is the digit in: hundreds, tens or ones?
Hook · 5 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Value of a digit in four-digit numbers. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: In 8216, which place is the digit 6 in?
- Step 1: There are 0 digits to its right.
- Step 2: The 6 is in the ones place.
- Answer: ones
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- In 8350, which place is the digit 5 in? (ones / tens / hundreds / thousands) → tensPrompt: Name the places from the right: ones, tens, hundreds, thousands.
- What is the value of the digit 3 in 4063? → 3Prompt: Which place is the digit in?
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Which number has the digit 4 in the hundreds place? (1462 / 3604 / 8845 / 4681) → 1462Prompt: The hundreds place is 2 places from the right end.
- What is the value of the digit 3 in 3164? → 3000Prompt: Which place is the digit in?
Watch out for
- Reading 1,045 as one thousand four hundred five: point to each place and say its value.
- Thinking a longer number is always bigger, even with decimals (0.45 vs 0.5).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Hundreds, tens and ones.
- Use concrete materials: place value chart.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Write four-digit numbers in expanded form; Read and write four-digit numbers in words; Compare four-digit numbers.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder