MATH
Place Value Mats for Cards

Submitted by: Nikki Bitzer
From: Sherman, TX
Date Submitted: November 11, 2005

Here's an idea I have used for several years with any age child. I pass out the large manila paper and have the children make a hot-dog fold. They use one of their playing cards (they all have decks) for a pattern and make 5 different boxes in a row, placing a comma between the thousands and hundreds place. They may only use their "one digit" cards. ("A's" are ones.) They then pick the first 5 cards and place them in the place value spots. We play several rounds of this game. Sometimes we play for the largest number in their groups and sometimes the smallest, but it helps them with place value and learning to read larger numbers. Then they each have to read their numbers outloud to their team members. I keep the mats in a stack all year and we re-use them on a regular basis. They beg to play this game and get really good!