Expanded Notation Craft

📝 This post, Expanded Notation Craft, was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with new information and resources.

I am always looking for new and engaging ways to help my students understand place value and expanded notation. Over the years, I have collected quite a few activities, but I can never seem to have enough—especially when math practice is combined with an adorable craft like these Expanded Notation Animals!

This hands-on activity helps students break numbers apart, identify the value of each digit, and create a fun display piece they are proud to show off. It is the perfect combination of math, creativity, and place value practice.

What Is Expanded Notation?

Expanded notation is just a fancy way of breaking a number apart to show what each digit is really worth. Instead of looking at 247 as one big number, expanded notation shows it as 200 + 40 + 7. Suddenly, students can see exactly what each digit contributes to the number!

Why Teach Expanded Notation?

I love using expanded notation because it takes the mystery out of place value. Once students can break a number apart like this, they begin to understand what is happening inside a number instead of simply memorizing digits. It also makes larger numbers feel much less intimidating! When kids can see a big number broken into smaller, friendlier chunks, addition, subtraction, and regrouping start to make a whole lot more sense.

Materials Needed

✔️ I’m Expanding template– newly updated!
✔️ colored paper
✔️ glue or tape
✔️ scissors
✔️ pencils
✔️ optional: base ten blocks for students who need more support

Directions

✔️Choose which template you want to use. There are two templates to make differentiation easy.
Have students choose a 2-, 3-, or 4-digit number (or choose one for them).
✔️ Have students complete the I’m Expanding paper using the number they selected.
✔️ Have students add a “head” to the template as shown in the picture. The first year we did this activity, we were learning about the circus, so my students chose a circus animal or performer. In other years, I have let my students just pick an animal or a person to add. One year, we all added pugs since that was our classroom theme.
✔️ Have students attach their figure to the top of the I’m Expanding page and then add some feet or hands if they like to make it look like the figure is holding the page.

One of my favorite things about this activity is that it is much more than just a craft.

A Quick and Easy Informal Assessment

This activity also doubles as a wonderful informal assessment! As students work, you can quickly see who understands the value of each digit and who may need a little more support. Listening to students explain their numbers or describe how they broke them apart provides valuable insight into their thinking without ever picking up a formal test. It is one of my favorite low-pressure ways to check for understanding while students are having fun.

A Beautiful Bulletin Board Display

Once your students finish their Expanding Numbers creations, do not put them away just yet! These little figures make the most wonderful bulletin board display, no matter what theme or unit you are using. I always loved lining mine up across the board with a simple title like “Look How We Are Expanding Our Number Knowledge!” and watching parents and visitors stop in the hallway to take a peek. There is just something about combining creativity with math thinking that catches everyone’s eye. And my students? They were always so proud to see their work up on display for the whole school to admire!

Download the Free Templates

Ready to try Expanded Notation Animals with your students? Grab the free templates below and start building place value understanding in a fun and creative way!

👉🏼 Download the FREE Expanded Notation Craft

Templates here.

This activity also doubles as a wonderful informal assessment! As students work, you can quickly see who understands the value of each digit and who may need a little more support. Listening to students explain their numbers or describe how they broke them apart provides valuable insight into their thinking without ever picking up a formal test. It is one of my favorite low-pressure ways to check for understanding while students are having fun.

More Expanded Notation Practice

Looking for even more ways to practice expanded notation? Here are a few of my favorite resources from the BMTM TPT store!

Place Value Expanded Notation Around the Room Game
Get students up and moving while they practice place value with expanded notation! This around the room game is a great way to add some energy to math practice, and it can even be used with music for an extra fun twist.

👉🏼 Grab the Around the Room Game on TPT here.

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Place Value Expanded Notation Roll It, Draw It, Write It, Expand It
Students roll two dice, write the number, draw it using place value blocks, write the digits in a place value chart, and then expand it! This hands-on practice page can be played independently or with a partner, and now includes task cards too!

👉🏼 Grab Roll It, Draw It, Write It, Expand It on TPT here.

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Expanded Notation Place Value Slide Cards
These engaging slide cards let students explore hundreds, tens, and ones in a hands-on way, helping them visualize how numbers are built and broken apart. Activity pages are included for even more meaningful practice!

👉🏼 Grab the Place Value Slide Cards on TPT here.