3rd Grade Math Lesson Plan

Hook/Introduction

Begin with a quick place value review as a whole class. On the board write: 5 8 9

Ask questions like: 

• What digit is in the tens place? 
• What is the value of the 5?
• How do I write this in expanded form? 

As you ask each question, students turn and talk with their neighbor and share their answers, activating what they already know. Ask pairs to share with the class

Learning Activities 

Direct Instruction

To introduce the activity, draw three labeled boxes (hundreds, tens, and ones) on the board

Verbally walk through the activity with your students’ help, pretending to toss a beanbag in the labeled boxes on the board. 

Do this three times, recording a number in the hundreds, tens, and ones boxes. Then, read the final number aloud in both expanded and standard form. 

Example: 

• “If I landed in the hundreds basket and then rolled a 3, what is the number?” (300)
• “If I landed in the tens basket and then rolled a 2, what is the number?” (20)
• “If I landed in the ones basket and then rolled a 4, what is the number?” (4)
• 300 + 20 + 4
• Final number: 324

Before moving to guided and independent practice, make sure to address any confusion. 

Ask questions like:

• “If I roll a 6 in the hundreds basket, could I just write 6?”
• “Could two groups roll the same three digits but get different answers? If so, how?”
• “If I get a 0 in the tens place, do I just skip it? Why or why not?”

Guided Practice

Set up a sample station at the front and have students demonstrate tossing the bean bags into the baskets. Build the number on the board as a whole class. Allow several students to demonstrate, especially learners who may need extra support. 

Formative Assessment: Before group work, do a “fist to five” where students hold up the number of fingers to demonstrate their understanding. Review if needed.

Independent/Small Group Work

Assign groups ahead of time, deciding to group students by mixed ability or similar ability level

How to Play

To prepare, place baskets or bins at different distances at each station. This activity works best in small groups, with students taking turns tossing a beanbag into a basket. 

If the bag lands in hundreds, they roll a die and must create that many hundreds, writing their answer on a whiteboard– same with tens and ones. Students continue tossing and writing until they build a full number.

Example: 

• Toss 1 lands in the tens bucket and they roll a 4: 40
• Toss 2 lands in the hundreds bucket and they roll a 2: 200
• Toss 3 lands in the ones bucket and they roll an 8: 8
• Final number: 248

Play as many rounds as time allows, circulating the room to check for understanding, and provide scaffolding or challenge where needed. Here are a few ideas: 

Optional Support: 

1. Place Value Mats: Give students a  place value mat or template with labeled columns, instead of a blank whiteboard 
2. Expanded Form Template: provide a template with ______ hundreds + ______ tens +_______ ones= 

Students fill the blanks after each toss

Optional Challenge: 

1. Number Goals: Before tossing, set a goal, such as: 
   • Build the largest number possible
   • Build the smallest number possible
   • Get closest to 800 (or any other number)
   • Make an even (or odd) number
2. Add or Subtract 100: after building a number, challenge students to 

• • Add 100
  • Subtract 100
  • Or any other arithmetic challenge! 

Exit Ticket

With 5 minutes left in the lesson, assign students an exit ticket to demonstrate knowledge. Pass out an index card with a quick problem to demonstrate place value knowledge

• 679
• 6 is in the ____ place
• 7 is in the ____ place
• 9 is in the _____ place 

 Reflection for Place Value Toss Lesson 

• What went well? How do I know? 
• What evidence do I have that students meet the learning objectives? 
• What would I change? 
• What surprised me? 
• Were the students engaged? Why or why not? 
• Did I adjust instruction for different learners? 
• Was the pacing too fast/too slow?