Rounding Numbers

Focus
Rounding to the nearest 10 or 100

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he Digi-Block materials provide clear visual images for rounding to the nearest ten or hundred.When children place blocks along a labeled number line, it is simple to determine if the blocks end closer to 20 or 30. Similarly, with 9 single blocks in a holder, it is easy to see that there are closer to 10 than to 0 blocks.

Rounding on a Number Line

Have children place 17 blocks on a labeled number line. Ask,

Are there closer to 10 or 20 blocks here?

Repeat with other groups of blocks, some that clearly round down and some that clearly round up. Next have children count out a collection of blocks, predict the nearest ten, and then place the blocks on the number line to check. Have children repeat this process several times. When they can consistently predict the answer correctly, show a number such as 47 and ask whether it is closer to 40 or 50. Then show 63, but just ask the children to name the nearest ten without providing choices. Have children explain their thinking. Tell them that identifying the nearest ten is sometimes called rounding to ten. Have the children consider and discuss why we might call it that.
The visual images of blocks on the Counter and blocks on a number line help children round to the nearest 10 or 100.

Next, place 25 blocks on a labeled number line and ask children to identify the nearest ten. It is important to let children struggle with this question and recognize that 25 is just as close to 20 as to 30. When such numbers are seen out of any particular context, the convention is to round up. Children can explore larger numbers by using the unlabeled side of the number lines and placing several lines end to end. You could also identify a single line as representing the 200s (that is, extending from 100 to 200) and have children locate 232. Then ask,

Rounding to hundreds, is that number closer to 200 or 300? Rounding to tens, is it closer to 230 or 240?
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Rounding on the Counter
Place 5 blocks-of-10 and 7 ones on the Counter. Ask,

Is this number closer to 50 or 60?

With the Counter, there is a striking visual image. The question becomes,

Is the holder with single blocks closer to being full or closer to being empty?
Repeat with other examples. Next place 4 blocks-of-100, 7 blocks-of-10, and 2 ones on the Counter. Ask,
When children see 57 on the Counter, they know the number is closer to 6 tens than 5 tens because the holder for ones is closer to full than empty.

Is this number closer to 400 or 500?

There is a clear visual image once again. The question becomes,

Is the holder with blocks-of-10 closer to being full or empty?

Assessing Learning
1. Have the child place 28 blocks on a number line. Ask the child to identify the nearest ten. Repeat with 34 blocks. Does the child identify the correct ten when rounding up? identify the correct ten when rounding down? 2. Show a packed collection of 35 or 350 blocks and ask the child to name the nearest ten or nearest hundred. Does the child choose the greater ten or hundred? explain that the two are equally close? 3. Show a two- or three-digit number and ask the child to round to the nearest ten or hundred. Does the child round two-digit numbers correctly to the nearest ten? three-digit numbers to the nearest ten? round three-digit numbers correctly to the nearest hundred?

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