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Classroom · Math · CCSS 1.NBT.B.2, 1.NBT.B.3, 2.NBT.A.1, 2.NBT.A.3, 2.NBT.A.4
worksheets for 1st and 2nd grade
Five-page packs that build numbers from base-ten blocks: tens and ones first, then hundreds, tens and ones. Children count, write, expand, compare and solve word problems, and every pack ends with an answer key. Print in color or ink-saving black and white.
- Tens and ones1st grade
A ten is a group of 10 ones. Count the tens first, then the ones: 3 tens and 4 ones make 34.
- Hundreds, tens and ones2nd grade
A hundred is 10 tens. 245 is 2 hundreds, 4 tens and 5 ones, or 200 + 40 + 5.
Place value chart
A hundreds, tens and ones chart with a worked example and rows to fill in. Use it with any number.
What is in each pack
- 1. Learn itWhat a ten (and a hundred) is, with a worked example, then six sets of base-ten blocks to count and write.
- 2. Write itNumbers into places and back, expanded form like 40 + 7, and a table of 10 more and 10 less.
- 3. Compare and orderTwelve pairs to compare with >, < or =, three sets to put in order, and the value of a digit.
- 4. Word problemsFour short stories about bags of ten, groups and mystery numbers.
- 5. Answer key and tipEvery answer on one page, plus a teaching tip for grown-ups.
How to teach place value
- Bundle real things. Put 10 straws or craft sticks in a rubber band. A bundle is a ten you can hold.
- Say it two ways. 34 is “thirty-four” and also “3 tens and 4 ones”. Practice both.
- Watch the teens. In 14 we say the ones first. Show with blocks that it is still 1 ten and 4 ones.
- Zero holds a place. In 507 the 0 means no tens. Without it the number would be 57.
- Then add and subtract. Once tens and ones are solid, move on to two-digit adding and subtracting.
Next: two-digit adding and subtracting
Common questions
What is place value?
Place value is what a digit is worth because of where it sits. In 47 the 4 is in the tens place, so it is worth 40, and the 7 is worth 7. In 2nd grade a third place is added: in 347 the 3 is worth 300.
What are the place value standards for 1st and 2nd grade?
In the Common Core, 1st grade children understand that a two-digit number is tens and ones, compare two-digit numbers, and find 10 more or 10 less. In 2nd grade they work with hundreds, tens and ones up to 1000, write numbers in expanded form, compare three-digit numbers, and add or subtract 10 or 100 mentally.
What are base-ten blocks?
Base-ten blocks are a set of small cubes (ones), rods of 10 cubes (tens) and flat squares of 100 cubes (hundreds). Children can see that a ten really is 10 ones. The worksheets draw them as simple shapes, so they print clearly in the ink saver too.
What is expanded form?
Expanded form writes a number as the sum of its places: 47 = 40 + 7 and 352 = 300 + 50 + 2. It shows what each digit is worth and helps later with adding and subtracting two-digit numbers.
Can I copy these worksheets for my class?
Yes. The PDFs are free to print and photocopy for classroom and home use, in color or in the black-and-white ink saver. Please link to this page rather than re-uploading the files.
