Let’s be honest—teaching decimals to 5th graders can make even the best math teacher want to hide behind the whiteboard. One minute your students are cruising through place value, and the next they’re telling you that 0.12 is bigger than 0.9 because, “Twelve is more than nine.”
Yikes.
If you’re working on comparing and ordering decimals, here are a few simple (and teacher-tested) tips to help your students get it—without the groans, blank stares, or decimal drama.
1. Start with Place Value—Seriously
Yes, we all say it. But before students can begin comparing and ordering decimals, they need to understand what they’re comparing.
Break out the place value chart and go over tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. Have them read decimals out loud—”fifty-six hundredths” is way clearer than “point five six” when you’re trying to wrap your brain around size.
And if you’ve got base-ten blocks or decimal grids, now’s the time to let those dusty manipulatives shine.
Here’s how they help:
Base-ten blocks: Use the flat to represent 1 whole, a rod for one-tenth, and a single cube for one-hundredth. Stack 10 rods side by side and show that they equal one whole. Then compare, for example, 0.3 (3 rods) and 0.06 (6 small cubes). Students see which amount is greater.
Decimal grids: These are 10×10 grids where each square represents one-hundredth. Shade in 0.49 (49 squares) and then 0.54 (54 squares). Boom—instant visual comparison, and students get how even small differences matter when you’re working with decimals.
You don’t need a full lesson—just five minutes of modeling can make a big difference.
2. Line Up Those Decimals
A key strategy for comparing and ordering decimals is to line them up vertically by the decimal point. This helps students compare digits in the same place value column.
Encourage students to add trailing zeros so the numbers have the same number of digits. For example:
- 0.509
- 0.590
Now it’s easier to see that 0.590 is greater.
3. Use Number Lines (Your Secret Weapon)
Number lines are basically cheat codes for visual learners. When students see where decimals fall, they’re more likely to understand which number is greater.
Start with tenths, move to hundredths, and work your way up. You’ll be amazed how many lightbulbs go off with this one little tool. Bonus points if you can find a digital number line they can interact with!
4. Keep It Real (World)
Decimals are everywhere—sports scores, measurements, time, and even snack sizes. The more your students can connect decimals to things they care about, the more likely they are to actually pay attention.
Try something like this:
- “Would you rather run 1.08 miles or 1.2 miles in PE?”
- “Who jumped farther in the long jump—Emma with 2.35 meters or Jason with 2.3 meters?”
Real-world examples not only help decimals click, but they also cut down on the classic “When are we ever gonna use this?” complaints.
5. Go Digital for Practice That Sticks
If you want students to actually enjoy practicing this skill (or at least not complain about it), digital practice is your friend.
My Comparing and Ordering Decimals to the Thousandths Place Google Slides activity is an easy way to reinforce the concept—without the copier jams or stacks of paper. It’s drag-and-drop, student-friendly, and can be used for:
- Independent work
- Math centers
- Quiz review
- Or when you have a sub and want to look like you’ve got it all together
Final Thoughts on Teaching Decimals to 5th Graders
Teaching decimals to 5th graders doesn’t have to be a headache. Focus on place value, use visuals like number lines, keep it real with examples your students care about—and let digital tools do some of the heavy lifting.
You’ve got this. With the right strategies, your students will catch on, and everyone will finally agree that 0.9 is greater than 0.12.
