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The Hundreds Chart - For More Than Just Counting!

As a rotary primary math teacher, one of the most useful tools I have ever used is the hundreds chart.  From 1st to 3rd grade, these charts have helped my students to develop number sense and an understanding of basic math concepts such as counting, skip counting, addition and subtraction, multiplication, patterns and number relationships.

A hundreds chart is a grid of numbers from 1 to 100, usually arranged in 10 rows and 10 columns, ranging from 1-100.  I would paste a blank hundreds chart and one with numbers on, back to back, on cardstock and then laminate them, keeping them in a basket for easy access with whiteboard markers.  For my 2nd and 3rd graders, we also kept baskets of charts from 1-120 and 101-200.  

Here are some ways you can use a 100's chart to support student learning:

Counting and number recognition: 

Use the chart to help students count and recognize numbers up to 100. Have students point to each number as they count aloud, or call out a number and have students locate it on the chart.  Blank hundreds charts are used for practice printing numbers in counting order.  Students love to use a marker to print their numbers and they are easily erased.  

Skip counting:

 A hundreds chart is a great tool for practicing skip counting. Have students start at 1 and skip count by 2s, 5s, or 10s, marking each number they say on the chart. This will help reinforce the pattern of skip counting and improve number sense.  When students can count by 3's, 4's and so on, coloring each number in the sequence makes interesting patterns on the chart.

Number patterns: 

Challenge students to identify patterns on the chart, such as the diagonal pattern of numbers.  Here is an example from our Grade 2 Patterning math package of counting by 3's.   If you add the digits in each diagonal, the sum will be the first number in the diagonal.  In this sample, we are looking at the "9" diagonal.  18=1+8 =9, 27=2+7=9 and so on.  If you make diagonals towards the right, you subtract the digits to get the first number. My students were so amazed that you could find out so much on a simple chart of numbers!

Addition and subtraction: 

Use the chart to practice addition and subtraction by having students find the sum or difference between two numbers on the chart.  Students in 1st grade will learn to "hop" on the chart forward and backward to add and subtract.  With larger numbers, instruct them to start at the biggest addend, count the rows by 10's and then the 1's.  For example, adding 43 plus 27, you would start at 43, jump two rows forward for 20 and then forward by 1's for the 7.  Subtraction would be the opposite - jumping backwards.  This also helps with place value as students are decomposing numbers into their 10's and 1's.

Multiplication and Division

A hundreds chart is excellent for demonstrating the repeated addition and repeated subtraction components of multiplication and division.  To multiply 3 x 4, start off the chart and hop 3 spaces onto the chart four times.  So, your first number is 3, followed by 6, 9 and 12.  To divide, start at 12 and take hops of 3 backwards.  Then count how many hops you took to get the answer.

The hundreds chart is not just for learning to count to 100.  The kinds of patterns that we see are intriguing and interesting for students to learn, while adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing on them builds a strong sense of number.  If you haven't yet, try just one of the suggestions above.  Let us know what you think!

P.S.  If you are looking for a variety of hundred charts, try our math package:  MATH TOOLS - Hundred charts | Ten Frames | Number Lines | Subitizing Cards (teacherspayteachers.com)








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