Place Value Charts: Making Math Visual 

Understanding place value is a tough concept for little learners. Finding ways to help make the abstract ideas more concrete and tangible is key. 

Add one (or a few) of these place value charts to help your students learn more about the smaller parts of numbers. 

What are Place Value Charts? 

These place value charts are created to break down larger numbers into the different “chunks” we call place value. 

One of the key lessons to learn with place value for our students is that WHERE you place a digit in a number matters. 

150 is very different from 501. 

There are three different place value options included in the pastel retro place value charts resource. 

1️⃣ The first option allows you to build a giant number and create visible groupings of ones, thousands, millions, etc. 

2️⃣ The second option also helps you build a giant number but doesn’t have the same grouping pattern. 

3️⃣ Finally, the third option shows you what each place value looks like without any other numbers getting in the way. 

The beauty of this resource is you can choose the style of poster that works with where your students are in understanding place value. 

Why Should I Display These Posters?

Place value is a very abstract concept. 

And without a good understanding of place value, you will always feel a little lost as math becomes more and more difficult. 

Finding a place where your students can reference these place value posters easily gives them another resource to use as they work on mastering place value. 

Placing these charts under your whiteboard, on a bulletin board off to the side, or on top of your cabinet doors are great ideas! 

How do I Use These Place Value Charts? 

Here is where the fun comes in! 

Half of having an effective resource for your students is teaching them how to use them! 

As you teach a new position in place value, bring out the new poster. 

Make a big deal about how you are making the number larger, or adding something new. 

Then, teach your students what the poster means. 

Break it down. Help them understand what the parts of the place value chart will remind them about. 

Finally, show your students how you would use the poster to help out with the task or activity you have given them related to place value. 

Don’t forget to add some manipulatives into the teaching as well! 

Bring out the place value blocks, encourage students to make large numbers, and play with how you can make the largest number possible using specific digits. 

Above all, remember to have fun! Complicated topics can start to feel heavy and discouraging. You are key in helping your students learn and doing it in a way that is exciting, even when it’s difficult. ❤️

Use these pastel retro place value charts to make it a little easier. 

Here are some extra ideas on other math resources to include in your classroom setup.