When it is completed ask for someone to tell you what the highest possible number could have been, and see how many created that number. This works well for the lowest possible number also. This is a good follow up activity to a more hands on introduction of place value. While the students are getting more practice in place value in a game like setting, the students who do not relate well to competition will still succeed by playing along and watching the other students volunteer information. This lesson is a motivating way to reinforce the concept of place value.
Students love to play games, and they also enjoy competition.
This lesson provides a game that would be easy to prepare. It is a game that encourages problem solving ability while providing an enjoyable learning experience. I believe this game would also work well in a cooperative or team setting, rather than using it with individual students. Students who have difficulty with the concept need to be provided with a way to improve their skills without having a negative effect on their self-concepts. Charts and graphs are not only valuable instruments for communicating data quickly and simply, they can be tools for stimulating discussion, and aids in promoting mathematical thinking.