Place value disks (sometimes called place value chips) are circular objects that represent 1, 10, 100, or 1,000. Place value disks can be used to teach many math concepts. Do not move to using place-value discs solely until students have mastered place value using the base-ten blocks. I like to use the base-ten blocks and place value disks together. I have the students label the base-ten blocks with the place value disks(mixing and little concrete with the abstract). Place value is a tricky concept to master, so make sure you spend ample time understanding the base-ten system.

In the early elementary grades, students need to learn that the value of a digit depends on its place in a number. They do this by composing two- four-digit numbers.

For example, in the number 7,143, the digit 7 is represented by seven thousands disks, the digit 1 is represented by one hundreds disk, the digit 4 is represented by four tens disks, and the digit 3 is represented by three ones disks.

Place-value disks also provide students with a better understanding of the expanded form of numbers.

Once students learn the base ten concepts, they can move to adding, subtracting, and even multiplying and dividing using friendly numbers.

Using place value disks in the upper grades is helpful, especially when working with decimals.

Hands-To-Mind Demo

The stamp game and the place-value disks can be used interchangeably. The Montessori Math Stamp Game lesson comes at the end of Place Value and Decimal System work. The goal is to reinforce the four operations introduced with the Golden Beads, or the base-ten blocks. The transition from the base-ten block to the stamp game moves from concrete to more abstract.

Stamp Game instructions and materials.

Note: All the lessons below can be completed using either the stamp game or the place-value disks.