Hundreds Chart: What is it?
“Fiveteen, eighteen, twenty-nineteen…” All teachers have heard the adorable and creative counting that young elementary students often bring to the classroom. Do you remember learning to count to one hundred as a child? It’s quite an accomplishment! This is where the hundreds chart comes in. The hundreds chart is an essential tool that every elementary school teacher, from kindergarten through fifth grade, needs. This versatile tool is valuable for teaching many lessons while also providing a fun, engaging range of activities for students.
Designed as a 10-by-10 grid, a hundreds chart displays the numbers from one to one hundred in order. The hundreds chart is very similar to a number line but uses a design that draws attention to place value and patterns. Each row on the hundreds chart contains a group of ten numbers. This allows students to use the chart to count to 100 in different ways. They can count across rows by ones and count by tens along the far right column. A hundreds chart is a great tool for practicing a variety of math skills including number sense, number patterns, skip counting, and more.
Why is a hundreds chart important?
The hundreds chart is a valuable learning tool students can use to learn and master our number system. Using this resource offers students a visual aid to explore the structure of the decimal or base-ten system while also building a mental model of number progression. The hundreds chart helps students see the patterns in counting and can be used to teach a range of math skills. These skills include counting to 100, skip counting, odd and even numbers, addition and subtraction, multiplication, and much more! You can even use a hundreds chart to teach the value of money.
How do you teach a hundreds chart?
You can start teaching a hundreds chart in many different ways. Most teachers start by introducing children to counting the first few rows of the hundreds chart. In other words, they count a 1-20 number chart. For example, you could project the interactive hundreds chart on the board. Then, black out all of the numbers. Finally, highlight the numbers one at a time as you count as a class. Every day, you can add another row of ten numbers to the chart until you reach one hundred. Once students have a basic understanding of the hundreds chart, you can start to introduce other activities to deepen their understanding.
Fun hundreds chart activities to try
There are many engaging hundreds chart activities that can help teach students a variety of concepts. Take a look at the following ideas that you can use in your classroom. Among the hundreds chart activities are whole-class, small-group, and individual activities. Take a look:
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Hundreds chart puzzle
One simple activity using the hundreds chart involves cutting the 10×10 grid apart into 10 to 15 pieces to make a puzzle. Each puzzle piece should include 6 to 10 numbers. Students use their number sense as they work to make a complete hundreds chart by piecing together each section of the chart correctly.
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Interactive hundreds chart
Use our online interactive hundreds chart for your math centers, to display on your board, or have students work individually. With an interactive hundreds chart, students can practice skip counting, model math operations, or use the interactive chart alongside a printed blank hundreds chart. Our interactive hundreds chart is digital, which adds another element of engagement and fun for students.
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Blank hundreds chart
With a blank hundreds chart printable, you can have students fill in numbers on the chart. For example, have them fill in one row at a time. Or, add some numbers to the blank hundreds chart and ask students to fill in the missing numbers.
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Fill in the hundreds chart race
To play this fun game, divide your class into two or more teams. Provide each team with a blank hundreds chart. Ideally, the hundreds chart can be large and attached to a magnetic board. Then, each group of students needs to use magnetic numbers to fill in the chart as quickly as possible. Which group will win? If students aren’t quite ready to use a hundreds chart, they can practice with a number chart that has numbers up to 30, 40, or even 50.
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Hundreds chart printable activities
Printable hundreds charts are great for many activities. A printable hundreds chart is not only useful for activities, but can serve as a reference chart. That way, when students are skip counting, completing operations, or working with a blank hundreds chart, they can use the chart as a reference.
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Modeling operations with a hundreds chart
Have students model addition, subtraction, or multiplication problems using a hundreds chart. They can do this in the same way they would use a number chart. For example, you might have students model 27 + 10. Students will soon see on the chart that adding ten is 37, which is one square below 27. Modeling operations helps students see patterns on the hundreds chart and boost their number sense.
Similarly, you can introduce students to the concept of subtraction. Ask students what the difference is between two numbers. For example, you might ask how far apart 70 and 60 are. Students can highlight the numbers on the online hundreds chart tool and count the difference. Then, you can slowly introduce more difficult subtraction problems.
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Can you guess the number?
Play a game with the whole class using a hundreds chart. This is a great brain teaser or attention grabbing activity. Display the hundreds chart and then tell students you’re thinking of a number. Give them a few clues such as: “It’s greater than 85, but smaller than 97.” Or, “It’s an even number.”
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Hundreds chart and 100 days of school
Use the hundreds chart in combination with a celebration of the first 100 days of school! Many teachers use the 100 Days of School as a fun event that also encourages students to practice their counting skills.
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Skip counting
Count by twos, threes, fives, and more with a hundreds chart. It’s easy to use hundreds chart printables and have students mark off the skip counting. This provides a helpful visual for students to use until they can skip count without the hundreds chart.
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The hundreds chart board game
Grab a pair of dice and let’s play! Two or more children can play by starting on the one. Then, they take turns rolling dice and moving playing pieces to get to one hundred. As children advance through the game, encourage them to say what number they land on.
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Even or odd?
Have students mark even or odd numbers on a hundreds chart printable with a highlighter or counters.
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Coin values with a hundreds chart
Give children plastic or real nickels or dimes. Then, ask students to place the nickels or dimes on a hundreds chart printable to show their value. For example, the first nickel would be placed on the five, representing five cents. The second nickel would be on the ten, representing ten cents.
Which of these fun hundreds chart activities will you use in your classroom first?
