Place value of each digit

Activities to try

1. 1

   Build and recompose in the Th|H|T|O bench

   Why it works: A digit's worth is set by its column, not by the digit itself — so swapping digits between columns changes the number; thousands repeat the ×10 pattern (ten hundreds = one thousand); and empty columns must still be written as 0 so magnitude and the comma are correct.

   1. Extend the familiar H|T|O column bench to Th|H|T|O and assemble a number such as 3,452 using thousand-cubes, hundred-flats, ten-rods and ones.
   2. Drag ten hundred-flats into a tray and watch them fuse into one thousand-cube, saying aloud 'ten hundreds make one thousand' — the same unitising move one column up.
   3. Keep three things in view at once as you build: the blocks, the numeral with its comma (3,452), and the expanded form 3000 + 400 + 50 + 2.
   4. Use arrow (place-value) cards to lay out 3000 + 400 + 50 + 2, then slide them together so they overlap into the single numeral 3,452, linking the expanded form to the compact numeral.
   5. Place the finished number on a 0-10,000 number line to check its rough magnitude, noticing how the comma/grouping helps you read size at a glance.
2. 2

   Reference wall: one number decoded

   Why it works: Each digit's value can be read directly from its column, and internal zeros are placeholders that hold a column's place.

   1. Study a single four-digit number displayed in a Th|H|T|O chart and tap each digit to reveal its blocks and its value (the 7 in 7,345 → 7 thousands = 7000).
   2. Open a dedicated 3,006 anchor and use a flap or note that explains why the two internal zeros must both be written.
   3. Use this wall as a lookup reference while working on other construction tasks.
3. 3

   Check digit values and expanded form

   Why it works: Learners can reliably read off a digit's value by its place and write/complete expanded forms, including where a column is zero.

   1. Answer 'value of the digit' questions, e.g. state the value of the 7 in 7,345 (7000, not 7 or 700).
   2. Complete fill-in-the-blank expanded forms: 3,452 = 3000 + ___ + 50 + 2 (blank is 400); 4,050 = 4000 + ___ + 50 + ___ (both blanks are 0).
   3. Match numerals to their expanded forms and spoken number names.
   4. For 'three thousand and six', identify the correct written form 3,006 and explain why the incorrect forms 36 and 3,600 must be rejected.