Unit Description

Place Value for Numbers 1-20 in Kindergarten

Michelle Finegan

Place value is often a topic discussed in the upper grades of elementary school mathematics. However, it is extremely valuable for kindergarten students to understand tens and ones so that they can advance to the hundreds, thousands, and other place values in their future math careers. Many kindergarten students often confuse counting beyond ten, specifically teen numbers to 20, because the number names do not indicate the value for many teen numbers such as 11, 12, 13, and 15. This unit is designed for approximately two weeks. Students should already have a foundation in counting, identifying, writing, and making numbers 1-10. This unit begins mid-year in kindergarten and students learn how to count using explicit and traditional names for teen numbers, learn how to identify, write, and make teen numbers through centers, small groups, modeling, and cooperative learning. The unit culminates with writing addition statements to describe teen numbers by describing them as ten plus some more which indicates place value. By the end of the unit, students will be able to count, identify, make, and have a conceptual understanding of place value for numbers 1-20.