Understanding place value is a critical part of math literacy—and with this engaging, interactive lesson, your 4th graders will be confidently reading and writing numbers all the way to the millions place.
What is the Place Value Chart? Understanding the Basics
The place value chart helps students visualize how each digit in a number has a specific value based on its position. In 4th grade, students begin exploring numbers much larger than ever before—into the millions!
To support this, introduce students to the concept of periods in a place value chart. Each group of three digits—called a period—is separated by a comma, and each period is read like a standard hundreds number.
For example, take the number 654,321:
- Read 654 as “six hundred fifty-four”
- The comma says “thousand”
- Read 321 as “three hundred twenty-one”
So, 654,321 is read as “six hundred fifty-four thousand, three hundred twenty-one.”
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan to Teach Place Value Through Millions
1. Create the HTO Place Value Chart and Expand It
Start with a familiar HTO (Hundreds-Tens-Ones) chart on the board. Leave extra space on the left side to add the Thousands and Millions periods.
As you build out the chart, label each column clearly and use color coding or visual cues to help students distinguish between the periods.
2. Introduce the Concept of Periods
Explain that:
- A period is a group of three digits in a number.
- Periods are named (Hundreds, Thousands, Millions).
Commas separate each period and signal the name of the period being left.
3. Model Reading Numbers to Millions
Write numbers such as:
- 45,321 (forty-five thousand, three hundred twenty-one)
- 654,987 (six hundred fifty-four thousand, nine hundred eighty-seven)
- 2,301,576 (two million, three hundred one thousand, five hundred seventy-six)
COMMON ERROR: Many students will inadvertently use the word “and” somewhere in reading a large number. Gently correct this mistake by pointing out that when you expand the place value chart to include decimals the word “and” will have an important role. It shouldn’t be used until you get to the decimals unit and expand the place value chart even further.
Discuss how the value of a digit increases tenfold as it moves to the left:
- A 5 in the Hundreds place = 500
- A 5 in the Thousands place = 5,000
- A 5 in the Ten Thousands place = 50,000
- A 5 in the Hundred Thousands place = 500,000
A 5 in the Millions place = 5,000,000
Engaging Practice Activities for Deeper Learning
Cooperative Group Game: Partner Card Exchange
If you are using the premade cards that come as part of this done-for-you lesson, prepare cards by cutting on horizontal lines and folding in half on vertical lines. Each card has a question on the front and an answer on the back. If you are making your own cards, simply write a large number on a card underlining one digit and write the value of that digit on the back, like a flashcard. Do this with several numbers until you have enough cards for your whole class to have one card.
- Give each student one card.
- Students partner up and take turns answering the questions on each other’s cards.
- Trade cards and find new partners to continue.
- Repeat as time allows.
This game boosts fluency, keeps energy high, and helps students practice a new skill without feeling overly pressured to have the right answers.
Interactive Notebook Pocket Charts
For this activity you’ll need number cards and pockets wide enough to hold 3 number cards side by side. You can either download a done for you version or create your own. For the DIY version, have students make the pockets using construction paper rectangles and cut notecards into strips to use as the number cards. Have students cut and glue pockets with each period labeled Millions, Thousands, or Hundreds into their math notebooks. Next they should cut apart digit cards for numbers 0–9. It is helpful to have at least 2 cards for each 0-9 digit since each digit may be used more than once in a large number. Finally let students use cards to build and read large numbers, reinforcing place value concepts in a tactile, visual way. When they are all done, students have a place value chart that they can use again and again. These will also come in handy when it’s time to start decomposing numbers into expanded form.
Partner Game: Guess My Number
Materials: playing cards (or digit cards) and a recording sheet. There is a done-for-you version in the lesson download, but students can easily create their own version by drawing two place value charts.
- Each player draws seven cards and secretly builds a seven-digit number with the numbers facing down.
- Players take turns asking one YES or NO question at a time to figure out their partner’s number.
- When asking for clues thay may NOT ask for a specific number (example: Is the number in your tens place a 3?)
- They may only ask less direct questions such as:
- Is the digit in your tens place even?
- Is the digit in your ones place greater than 5?
- Is the digit in your hundreds place greater than the digit in your thousands place?
- Players eliminate possible numbers and record those they know until they have all six digits of the place value chart figured out.
- The first person to correctly guess his/her opponent’s number is the winner. You only get three guesses, so use them wisely. If you guess three times incorrectly, your opponent automatically wins the game.
This game sharpens logical thinking and strengthens understanding of digit value and placement.
Worksheet: Understanding Large Numbers
Wrap up the lesson with a targeted worksheet where students:
- Identify the value of digits in large numbers
- Use what they’ve learned to solve a place value chart puzzle
Make It Easy with a Done-For-You Lesson Plan
Want to save time and prep? Grab this complete, classroom-ready resource:
Place Value to Millions Anchor Chart, Game & Worksheet
👉 Download on Teachers Pay Teachers
Looking to go deeper and teach a full unit?
Complete Place Value Through Millions Unit
👉 Explore it on Curious Classroom
These ready-to-go resources include anchor charts, activities, games, and assessments—everything you need for a high-impact place value unit!
By making the place value chart fun, hands-on, and meaningful, your students will gain confidence in reading, writing, and understanding numbers through the millions. With games, visuals, and thoughtful modeling, this lesson lays the foundation for future math success.
Whether you’re creating your own place value chart lesson plan or grabbing the done-for-you version, you’re helping your students master one of the most important math concepts in 4th grade!
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