Number Hospital: Doctors in Training!!

Today for math class we learned how to write numbers in expanded form. If you are a little dusty on this term here is an example: 327 written in expanded form is 300+20+7. To teach this concept our classroom transformed into a Number Hospital where sick numbers came.

Before the 2nd grade could see their number patients or perform any operations they had to be trained first. During this training time I, the expert number doctor, taught how to write a number in expanded form because our large number patients were getting sick from being so close to its fellow numbers. I showed them how to carefully cut apart the numbers and how to add zeros to make sure the 300 did not become a 3 or the 20 become just a 2, etc. I also explained the rare cases they might see of numbers coming in written in expanded form but needing to be put back together. So we learned how to write 300+20+7 = 327. After this they were ready to be doctors! I handed out their "Dr." name tags and their surgical masks. They then received 4 patience (ie, numbers to write in expanded form). The students worked carefully on their operations and successfully healed many numbers!

It was a fun activity! I am proud of all my little number doctors! :)