Place Value Hop

Second Grade Math

Your students will “hop their way” into understanding place value with this fun and active game! In this lesson,
they will learn that changing the order of the digits in a number changes its value.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to identify different place value digits within a number.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Teacher copy and class set of the Place Value place value
Mat: Five-Digit Numbers digit
Whiteboard worth
Whiteboard markers biggest
Large number cards (0–9) written on smallest
construction paper
Place value blocks up to thousands
Place Value Hop #1 worksheet
Place Value Hop #2 worksheet (optional)

Attachments

Place Value Hop (PDF)

Place Value Hop Support (PDF)
Place Value Mat: Five-Digit Numbers (PDF)
Place Value Hop #1 (PDF)
Place Value Hop #2 (PDF)

Introduction (10 minutes)

Explain to the students that today they will be exploring place value.
Define place value as the amount each digit in a number represents.
Ask a student to come up with a two-digit number. Write the number, but purposely put the digit that
should be in the ones place in the tens place and the digit that should be in the tens place in the ones
place.
Ask the students to stand up if they believe you wrote the number correctly. Call on a student to explain
the mistake you made, and encourage them to use the place value blocks to show the mistake.
Explain to the students that when they switch the digits around in a number, the value of the number
changes.
Tell the students that today they will play Place Value Hop to change a number's value by changing the
placement of the digits in the number.
EL

Beginning

Define vocabulary words in English and student's home language (L1).

Allow students to define place value in their L1, if possible.

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Intermediate

Have students think-pair-share the definition of place value in their own words.
Provide students with a sentence frame to support them as they explain the mistake you made, such as:
____ should be in the ones place and ____ should be in the tens place. The number you wrote is ____
and you need to write ____.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)

Pick out four numbers using the large number cards. Hold up the number cards so the students can see
them.
Have students think-pair-share the number aloud with an elbow partner. Explain any misconceptions and
read the number accurately once more.
Explain to the students that the numbers they see are called digits and each digit is worth a certain
amount.
Use the base-ten blocks and the Place Value Mat: Five Digit Numbers to explicitly show students the
value of each digit in the number as it is first shown.
Explain to the students that you want to try to create the biggest number from the four digits. Discuss
how to switch around the digits to create the biggest number and show the new number using the base-
ten blocks and the place value mat.
Repeat the same process to create the smallest number, asking for student input as appropriate.
EL

Beginning

Allow students to read the numbers aloud in their L1.

Encourage students to identify the largest and smallest numbers in English and their L1.

Intermediate

Prior to creating the biggest and smallest numbers, encourage students to discuss their ideas with a
partner.
Provide sentence frames to support students in sharing out, such as:
The largest number is ____. I know this because ____.
The smallest number is ____. I know this because ____.

Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Get out the number cards and call four students up to the whiteboard. Ask each student to choose one of
the numbers.
Have the students stand in a line, holding their numbers up so the class can see them. Ask another
student sitting in the classroom to read the number aloud.
Challenge the students to see if they can make the biggest number possible by changing the order of the
digits in the number. Allow the students time to discuss which students need to change places.
Ask the students to hop as they trade places with a peer.
Repeat the process, but ask students to make the smallest possible number.
Call up groups of four students at a time until everyone in the class has had a chance to participate.
EL

Beginning

Have students read the number aloud in English and their L1.
Provide students with a copy of the Place Value Mat: Five-Digit Numbers and base-ten blocks to use to
create the biggest and smallest numbers alongside the teacher.

Intermediate

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 Challenge students to detail the process in figuring out the biggest and smallest numbers, using
sequencing words to support their sharing out.
Provide students with a word bank of sequencing words (e.g. first, next, then, finally).

Independent working time (15 minutes)

Gather students together, and pass out the Place Value Hop worksheet.
Read the directions to the students, and tell them that they may begin.
Rotate around the classroom and support students as necessary.
EL

Beginning

Have students work in a small, teacher-led group.

Encourage students to use their base-ten blocks and place value mat to solve the problems.
Ask students to read the numbers aloud in English after they've finished them.

Intermediate

Allow students to work in partnerships or small groups during independent working time.
Have students repeat the directions for the assignment in their own words to clarify understanding.
Provide access to place value mats and base-ten blocks.

Related books and/or media

GAME: Place Value Blocks

Find Interactive Books for each child’s level.

Differentiation

Enrichment: For a challenge, have students create their own number cards with partners and groups and see
who can make the biggest four and five-digit numbers!

Support: Students who need extra help can use the Place Value Hop #1 worksheet. This is a differentiated
version that only gives students two-digit numbers to work with.

Assessment (5 minutes)

Have students turn in their sheets so you can assess understanding.

EL

Beginning

Ask students to rate their understanding of place value by showing a thumbs up, thumbs to the side, or a
thumbs down.
Provide a sentence stem to support students in sharing their feelings of the game Place Value Hop, such
as:
I liked/didn't like the game because ____.

Intermediate

Ask students to explain important words and concepts from the lesson (e.g. place value, worth, digit) in
their own words.

Review and closing (5 minutes)

Ask one of the students to explain in their own words what they learned today.
Write a final set of four digits on the board.
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 Call on a student to come up and write the biggest number and the smallest number that can be made
using the digits.
EL

Beginning

Challenge students to read the numbers aloud in English and their L1.

Intermediate

Have students agree/disagree with their peers answer using sentence frames to support their ideas, such
as:
I agree/disagree with ____ because ____.

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Name: ___________________ Date: _____________________

Place Value Hop

Create the biggest and smallest numbers you can by changing the order
of the digits. Those digits must “hop” around until you find the correct
answers! Be careful with those zeros. J

Digits Biggest Smallest

Example:
9, 621 1, 269
2916

1836

2589

6312

7524

1509

3628

7030

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Name: ___________________ Date: _____________________

Place Value Hop

Create the biggest and smallest numbers you can by changing the order
of the digits. Those digits must “hop” around until you find the correct
answers! Be careful with those zeros. J

Digits Biggest Smallest

Example:
61 16
16

36

89

12

24

09

28

30

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

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© 2007 - 2022 Education.com
N a me Da te

Place Value Mat: Five-Digit Numbers

Get out some place value blocks and use this mat to solve tricky problems!

Ten Thousands Thousands Hundreds Tens Ones

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Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________

Place Value Hop 1

16 61
Student Directions: Change the order of the digits to
create big and small numbers. Use the number line for help.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Digits Biggest Smallest

Example:
16 61 16

36

89

12

24

09

28

30

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

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2007Education.com
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Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________

Place Value Hop 2

9,621 1,269
Student Directions: Change the order of the digits to
create big and small numbers. Use the number line for help.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Digits Biggest Smallest

Example:
2916 9,621 1,269

1836

2589

6312

7524

1509

3628

7030

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

FindFind
worksheets, games,
worksheets, lessons
games, & more
lessons & at education.com/resources
more at education.com/resources
© 2007©
- 2019
2007Education.com
- 2022 Education.com