Place Value Robots Activity

I think this may be one of the biggest hits of the year—every year! This activity not only helps students practice place value, but also does so much more. I love the idea of combining math (place value) and art. I think it is such a great way to reach those kids who struggle with place value and to challenge those who need a challenge. Here is what we did.

For this activity, you will only need black construction paper (any dark color will do if you don’t have black), glue, scissors, and the free activity templates from my TPT store.

To prepare, print the templates and the expanded notation page. Print a few extra copies just in case someone needs them!

Directions

Ask students to create a place value creature—it could be a robot, a dinosaur, or a person. The options are endless. The only rule is that they may not use more than 9 of any one block. Discuss why this is so.

Once they have finished their creature, have them glue it onto the dark paper you selected.

Finally, have students complete the expanded notation page and glue it to the paper with their creation.

Share all the creations with the group. See whose place value creature has the greatest value or the least. Which creatures have the same value?

This activity can also serve as a useful informal assessment to determine who understands place value and expanded notation. It is also really easy to differentiate for students who need it!

After we were done sharing and discussing, I hung these on the bulletin board outside our classroom. They were a huge hit with parents and other teachers who happened to walk by.