Hello families! In this post, you'll find a letter directly from our curriculum that explains what we will be doing and how you can support at home over the next week and a half as we tackle 4th grade place value concepts.

Dear Family,

In this chapter, your student is learning place value concepts. The lessons address how to identify the values of the digits in multi-digit numbers, read and write multi-digit numbers in different forms, and use place value to compare and round multi-digit numbers. The vocabulary words associated with this chapter are: period, ones period, thousands period, and place value chart.

Your student can practice place value concepts by playing a number game. Write the digits 0–9 on two sets of index cards, with one digit on each card.

• Have your student select four index cards and arrange them to create a four-digit number. Then, have your student identify which digit is in each place value. Ask, “Which is the hundreds digit? The thousands?” Repeat using the cards to create five- and six-digit numbers.
• Give your student one set of the number cards and keep one for yourself. Each of you selects cards to create a four-digit number. Take turns identifying each other’s number and writing it in standard form, word form, and expanded form. Repeat with five- and six-digit numbers.
• Select cards to create a four-digit number and have your student do the same. Take turns identifying the greater number and explaining your reasoning. Repeat with five- and six-digit numbers. Then, round the numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, and hundred thousand.
• State a rounded number, such as 500,000. Have your student use the cards to create two numbers that round to the given number. For example, say, “What is one number that rounds to 500,000 when rounded to the nearest hundred thousand? What is another number that rounds to 500,000?” Repeat using various rounded numbers and place values.

By the end of this chapter, your student should feel confident with the learning targets and success criteria on the next page. Encourage your student to look for numbers to round and compare, such as prices, page numbers in books, and numbers on license plates.

Have a great time practicing place value!