Place Value from the Ground Up

Place Value from the Ground Up immerses students in a “microworld” of blocks and groups of blocks. Instead of receiving direct instruction, students learn by exploring, navigating, and solving problems within the microworld itself.


Students begin by counting blocks. As the blocks they need to count become more numerous, they discover that grouping the blocks can make their lives easier. However, grouping the blocks also increases the cognitive load of the puzzles. The need to keep track of groups (and groups of groups) leads to an understanding of place value and its applications. This approach is similar to how a student might learn how to play a video game by trial and error or learn a second language by living abroad for a semester.