Jennifer Faherty

Erin Nugent

Name of Activity:

Place Value Power

Topic:

Place values and general calculator use

Grade Level:

3rd to 4th grade

Materials Needed:

* 1 transparency Master A1: "Place

Value Power’

* 1 transparency calculator

* 1 worksheet (Master A1: "Place Value Power") per student

* 1 calculator per student

Description of Activity:

Divide the students into groups
of four or five. Put up the transparency entitled "Place
Value Power" and briefly review place values with the entire
class. Read each question on the transparency and ask the students
what should be keyed into the calculator. After each response
is given, ask the student to explain his reasoning for selecting
that particular number by asking questions such as "How did
you know 1, 842 would be used in number 1 ?" Enter the correct
numbers at the appropriate times on the transparency calculator
for the class to see. Go through the entire transparency, and
check your work at the end by turning the calculator display upside
down to see if the word that appears answers the riddle.

Pass out 1 worksheet and 1 calculator to each student. Read the
directions aloud and have the class do the first one together.
Again, demonstrate the task by modeling it on the transparency
calculator. Working in their groups, have the students complete
their worksheets together. Walk around the room while they are
doing the worksheet and occasionally stop and ask a student to
explain his reasoning (similar to the whole class activity with
the transparency). After they have been working for awhile, remind
them to use the riddle at the bottom of the page to check their
work when they finish the worksheet. If time allows, students
may have free time with the calculators upon completion of the
assignment.

Source: Calculator Corkers Set A, Transparency and Worksheet Master
A1, The Calculator Workshop, 1985.