The Hundreds Chart Lesson Ideas

Free 100s Chart Teaching Ideas

Ever wondered about all the math concepts that can be addressed by using a 100 chart?
Let me start with my top 10 lesson ideas for a hundreds chart.


More than and less than: we want our students to be able to quickly know what 1 more, 2 more, 1 less and 2 less than are. Play riddles, "I'm 3 less than 55, I'm 2 more than 18..."

1. Look for the patterns. Cover up all of the odd numbers with counters/coins. What pattern do you see?
2. Patterns: What can you say about the number below any number? (always 10 more)
   What can you say about the number above any number? (always 10 less)
   What can you say about the number beside any given number? (1 less, 1 more)
   What can you say about any number on the diagonal? (downward, the one's place and ten's place increase by one digit, upward the ten's place decreases and one's place increases.
3. Problem solving/Deductive and Inductive Reasoning: Look at image 1.
   For a piece of the 100 chart, a child only needs one number to complete the rest. To solve these types of problems, the child says, I know the number beside/on top or below must be___, therefore, the missing number must be and so on and so forth.
4. Growing and Shrinking Patterns: Identify as many of these types of patterns as you can.
5. Adding and Subtracting: The hundreds chart provides an excellent visual to see subtraction and addition.

There's much, much more that can be done, but for a great start, check out my hundreds chart worksheets and lesson ideas here.