Place Value & Rounding

Teacher Guide | Grade 4 Mathematics | FAST Success Kit
Florida B.E.S.T. Standards:
MA.4.NSO.1.1 - Express numbers from millions to thousandths (standard, expanded, word form)
MA.4.NSO.1.2 - Read and write multi-digit whole numbers (0 to one million)
MA.4.NSO.1.3 - Plot, order, compare multi-digit whole numbers up to 1,000,000
MA.4.NSO.1.4 - Round whole numbers from 0 to 10,000 to nearest 10, 100, or 1,000
🎯 Learning Objective 15-20 min lesson
Students will: Understand place value through the millions, read and write numbers in multiple forms, compare multi-digit numbers using place value reasoning, and round numbers to the nearest 10, 100, or 1,000 using number lines and benchmarks.
Key Understanding: Each place is 10 times the value of the place to its right. This pattern continues: 10 ones = 1 ten, 10 tens = 1 hundred, ... 10 hundred thousands = 1 million.

Important: No Rounding Tricks!

Per Florida B.E.S.T. guidance, do NOT use mnemonic devices like "5 or more, let it soar" or rounding rhymes. These bypass conceptual understanding. Instead, use number lines and place value reasoning to show which benchmark the number is closer to.

📦 Materials Needed
📈 Place Value Chart Reference
Millions Hundred Thousands Ten Thousands Thousands Hundreds Tens Ones
1,000,000 100,000 10,000 1,000 100 10 1
4 5 2 7 8 3 6

Example: 4,527,836 = 4 millions + 5 hundred thousands + 2 ten thousands + 7 thousands + 8 hundreds + 3 tens + 6 ones

⚠ Common Misconceptions to Address

Misconception #1: Reading Commas Incorrectly

Students read 4,527,836 as "four, five hundred twenty-seven, eight hundred thirty-six" instead of using the period names (millions, thousands).

How to Address:

Teach the "period system": each comma separates a period. From right to left: ones period, thousands period, millions period. Read each period's three digits, then say the period name.

Misconception #2: Confusing Place vs. Value

Students say "the 5 is in the hundreds place so it equals 5" instead of recognizing the VALUE is 500,000 (in 4,527,836).

How to Address:

Always distinguish: "What PLACE is the digit in?" vs. "What is the VALUE of the digit?" Use expanded form to reinforce: 5 hundred thousands = 500,000.

Misconception #3: Rounding to the Wrong Place

When rounding 7,456 to the nearest thousand, students write 7,500 (rounded to hundreds) instead of 7,000.

How to Address:

Circle the target place first. Ask: "What are the two benchmark thousands this number is between?" (7,000 and 8,000). "Which is 7,456 closer to?" Use a number line!

📝 Lesson Steps
1

Introduce Place Value to Millions (4 min)

Display a place value chart. Show how each place is 10x the previous place.

SAY THIS:

"In Grade 3, you learned about thousands. Now we're going bigger! What's 10 groups of one thousand? 10 thousand! What's 10 groups of ten thousand? 100 thousand! And 10 groups of 100 thousand? 1 million!"

2

Reading Large Numbers Using Periods (4 min)

Write 3,405,872 on the board. Show how to read it using periods.

  • Millions period: 3 - "three million"
  • Thousands period: 405 - "four hundred five thousand"
  • Ones period: 872 - "eight hundred seventy-two"

"Three million, four hundred five thousand, eight hundred seventy-two"

3

Write Numbers in Multiple Forms (4 min)

Show 2,056,403 in three forms:

  • Standard form: 2,056,403
  • Expanded form: 2,000,000 + 50,000 + 6,000 + 400 + 3
  • Word form: two million, fifty-six thousand, four hundred three

Note: No terms for zeros (no hundred thousands or tens)

4

Compare Multi-Digit Numbers (3 min)

Compare 847,392 and 847,932. Strategy: Start from the left!

  • Hundred thousands: both 8 - equal
  • Ten thousands: both 4 - equal
  • Thousands: both 7 - equal
  • Hundreds: 3 vs 9 - 3 < 9!

So 847,392 < 847,932

5

Teach Rounding with Number Lines (4 min)

Round 3,672 to the nearest thousand.

SAY THIS:

"What thousands is 3,672 between? 3,000 and 4,000. The midpoint is 3,500. Where is 3,672? It's past the midpoint, so it's closer to 4,000. 3,672 rounds to 4,000."

Try: Round 3,672 to the nearest hundred: between 3,600 and 3,700, closer to 3,700!

6

Independent Practice

Distribute worksheets. Encourage students to draw number lines for rounding and write expanded form for place value questions.

💻 IXL Skills to Assign After This Lesson

Recommended IXL Practice:

Place value in multi-digit numbers Convert between standard and expanded form Word names for numbers Compare multi-digit numbers Round to the nearest ten, hundred, thousand Rounding on number lines
🏠 Differentiation

For struggling students: Work with 4-5 digit numbers first. Use place value charts with manipulatives. For rounding, always draw the number line first.

For advanced students: Extend to millions and beyond. Challenge with flexible decomposition (e.g., 345,672 = 345 thousands + 672 ones). Introduce rounding to ten thousands.

For home: Practice reading large numbers from news articles, population signs, or sports statistics.

FAST Success Kit | Grade 4 | Place Value & Rounding Standards: MA.4.NSO.1.1-1.4 | Numbers to Millions