Lesson 12
Compare Multi-digit Numbers
Lesson Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to compare two multi-digit whole numbers within 1,000,000 by reasoning about place value and to explain how they make comparisons.
Lesson Narrative
Previously, students learned to build, read, name, and write multi-digit whole numbers up to six digits. They also developed an understanding of the relationship between a digit in one place and the same digit in the place immediately to its right. Through that work, students built their intuition for the relative size of numbers.
In this lesson, students use their understanding of place value to compare numbers and articulate how they reason about the size of the numbers. In doing so, they reinforce their understanding of place value and the base-ten number system (MP7). In communicating their thinking, they also practice attending to precision (MP6).
- Action and Expression
- MLR2
Learning Goals
Teacher Facing
- Compare 2 multi-digit whole numbers within 1,000,000 using place value reasoning.
Student Facing
- Let’s compare large numbers.
Required Materials
Materials to Gather
Required Preparation
Activity 3:
- Each group of 2 needs a set of cards from the previous activity.
CCSS Standards
Addressing
Lesson Timeline
| Warm-up | 10 min |
| Activity 1 | 15 min |
| Activity 2 | 10 min |
| Activity 3 | 20 min |
| Lesson Synthesis | 10 min |
| Cool-down | 5 min |
Teacher Reflection Questions
Today’s work on comparison relies on students’ understanding of place value and numbers in base ten. How readily did students connect today’s activities to their prior knowledge? What connections could have been made but were missed?
Suggested Centers
- Greatest of Them All (1–5), Stage 3: Multi-digit Numbers (Addressing)
- Tic Tac Round (3–5), Stage 1: Nearest Ten or Hundred (Supporting)