Decimal Place Value: Writing Decimals with Expanded Notation Free Lesson

Place value is such an important topic to make sure that students understand. 

It’s usually the first topic of the school year and sometimes it gets glossed over because the students easily complete the place value tasks they are given. However we need to make sure students truly understand place value. 

One of the first math lessons of the year for a Texas 5th grade student is writing decimals in expanded notation. The TEKS reads that "students will represent the value of the digit in decimals through the thousands using expanded notation and numerals." Expanded notation was first introduced to students in third grade and in fourth grade they wrote numbers in expanded notation through the hundredths. In fifth grade we are adding writing numbers using expanded notation through the thousandths. 

This is not a lesson I would spend more than 2 to 3 days on because you can spiral it throughout the year in warm-ups and homework and in-class station. The lesson I’m sharing with you today has the following components: 

1. Activates prior knowledge by asking students to read and write numbers 
2. Has a pre-assessment to determine where students are at with writing expanded notation 
3. Introduces the thousandths place value using a place value mat 
4. Gives opportunities to practice writing expanded notation and writing numbers in standard form from expanded notation with a station, assessment, and practice.

Click Here to download the lesson

Each day's lessons are short but can also be extended if needed. I always jump into math lessons by the second or third day of school and continue to teach my routines and expectations through the lessons I am teaching--post about that coming soon. 

Here are some more place value resources available in my TpT store to be used for extra practice throughout the year.