Ordinal Numbers
Grade Level: K - 2
Teacher Guidelines
Instructional Pages
Homework Page
Activity Page
Answer Key
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pages 1 – 2
pages 3 – 4
pages 5
pages 6 - 7
page 8
Classroom Procedure:
1. Display the number “1”, “2”, and “3” along with “1st”, “2nd”, 3rd for all
students to see.
2. Ask students what the difference is between the numbers alone and
the numbers with the letters.
Approximate Grade Level: K - 2
Objectives:
The students will be able to identify, use,
and write the words for ordinal numbers.
3. Allow time for responses and discussion.
Common Core State Standards:
4. Introduce the terms: Cardinal Numbers and Ordinal Numbers
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2
5. Distribute the Ordinal Numbers content page. Have students read
aloud in class. Stop during the reading to check on the students’
understanding of the concept. Use more examples if necessary.
Class Sessions (45 minutes):
6. Stress the word “order” is like ordinal to help them remember its
meaning. Also, stress the -TH at the end of most ordinal numbers,
but also point out the exceptions.
Teaching Materials/Worksheets:
7. Read and discuss students’ responses to the question: Can you
think of other ways people use ordinal numbers?
At least two class sessions.
Ordinal Numbers content page, Ordinal
Number Chart, Activity page(s), Homework
page
8. Distribute the Ordinal Number Chart”. Choose volunteers to read
each one aloud, and then read aloud as a class, both the numbers
and words in order.
Student Supplies:
9. Distribute the activity pages (ordinal numbers to ½ of the class,
number words to the other ½ of the class)
Prepare Ahead of Time:
10. Read over the instructions with the students, have them cut out the
numbers/words.
11. Once completed allow them to pair up with another student with
the words/numbers. If uneven, teacher can be someone’s partner.
12. Give the students time to match the numbers/words, gluing the
pieces back to back.
13. Once all are complete, call on volunteers to show the class something
that is: “First in the room, Second in the room, etc., all the way up
to twelfth.”
14. With more than 24 students, some ordinal numbers may need to
be repeated.
15. Distribute extra Activity Pages so all students can have a set of ordinal
numbers/words glued together. The partners will work together to
complete a second set of numbers/words glued together.
16. Once completed, review the ordinal numbers on the chart and
distribute the homework.
17. Review the homework the next day. (Use additional worksheets
from resources for more practice.)
scissors, tape/glue
Gather enough glue/tape and scissors for
students, display for showing numbers
for Step #1, a list of items/locations in the
classroom to be used for Step #13, make
copies of pages needed.
Options for Lesson:
Distribute both ordinal numbers/words to
same student to piece together, working
alone. Use extra content from resources
for more ordinal number practice. Allow
student pairs to label objects on their
own without teacher instructions. Have
students do homework page in class. Use
ordinal numbers as a springboard to a
writing lesson; have students write a short
story using some of the ordinal numbers.
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Teacher Notes
Most students in first grade will have heard of, and most likely used, ordinal numbers and may just need
assistance with the spelling, connecting the word with the actual number. This lesson can be adapted to
your grade-level needs. Most students should know ordinal numbers by the time they finish second grade if
not sooner. There is a vast amount of resources on the Internet for worksheets related to ordinal numbers.
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Additional Resources:
http://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/ordinal-number.html (1 min. video – incl. cardinal/nominal, interactive
quiz)
http://www.aaamath.com/nam15-ordinals.html (Content and more)
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-1/ordinal-numbers (Interactive)
http://www.kidslearningstation.com/numbers/ordinal-numbers-worksheets.asp (Worksheets)
http://www.mathworksheetsland.com/topics/integers/ordinalnumbsset.html (Worksheets)
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Ordinal Numbers
When you hear or see the word “number”, you are probably thinking about 1, 2, 3, 4… and many other
numbers that you see every day. However, there are different kinds of numbers. The three kinds of numbers
are cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers, and nominal numbers.
The cardinal numbers are the easiest because
they are the numbers you use when counting like
this: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and so on.
Nominal numbers are used to name things or
to identify something or someone. For example,
the number on a football player’s shirt is a nominal
number (7). The zip code or street address is also
a nominal number (15).
The numbers you are learning today are called the ordinal numbers. Ordinal numbers tell you what
order things are in. Notice the word order has the first three letters of the word ordinal. This will help you
remember the word ordinal means to tell the order of something. Examples of ordinal numbers are those
used in races, a place in line, birthdays, and many others.Look at the pictures below. The person circled in
yellow is the 5th (or fifth) person in line. In the second picture, the person standing in the middle won 1st (or
first) place. Finally, the cake will be used to celebrate a 3rd (or third) birthday.
The cardinal numbers used most frequently are: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th
Any number can be turned into an ordinal number. Sometimes a store will have a celebration
when the one-thousandth customer buys something. On a calendar, when you see the
number 15, it tells you it’s the 15th day of the month.
When you spell the word for each ordinal number it will usually, but not always, end in the
letters -TH.
Can you think of other ways people use
ordinal numbers?
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ORDINAL NUMBER CHART
Ordinal Number
Reading the Ordinal Number
1st
first
2nd
second
3rd
third
4th
fourth
5th
fifth
6th
sixth
7th
seventh
8th
eighth
9th
nineth
10th
tenth
11th
eleventh
12th
twelth
13th
thirteenth
14th
fourteeth
15th
fifteenth
16th
sixteenth
17th
seventeenth
18th
eighteenth
19th
nineteenth
20th
twentieth
21st
twenty-first
22nd
twenty-second
23rd
twenty-third
24th
twenty-fourth
25th
twenty-fifth
100th
one-hundredth
1,000th
one-thousandth
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Homework Name __________________________ Date _________
Use ordinal numbers to answer each question
1.
Sunday is the ____________________day of the week.
2.
My birthday is on the ______________ day of the month.
3.
In the car race below, what color is the car in fourth place? _____________
4.
In the car race above, what color is the car in second place? ____________
5.
My next birthday will be my ____________________ birthday.
6.
Spell the word for the order of the yellow dot: _____________________
7.
Spell the word for the order of the green dot: ______________________
8.
Spell the word for the order of the red dot: ________________________
9.
Circle the ordinal number: 23 Main Street
10.
Fill in the blank with the correct ordinal number or word: (Be careful, they are not in order.)
1st
3rd Place
9
2nd
8th
ninth
fourth
10th
7th
fifth
sixth
third
Bonus Questions: What are the numbers called you use for counting? ______________
Use the picture to help you remember.
Today is the ____________________ day of the month.
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Activity
Name __________________________ Date _________
1. Cut apart the ordinal numbers.
2. Find a partner with the ordinal numbers written in words.
3. With your partner, use a piece of tape or glue to join the ordinal number and the word together
back to back.
4. Next, follow the teacher’s directions.
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Activity
Name __________________________ Date _________
1. Cut apart the ordinal number words.
2. Find a partner with the ordinal numbers.
3. With your partner, use a piece of tape or glue to join the ordinal number and the word together
back to back.
4. Next, follow the teacher’s directions.
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Answer Key
Homework Name __________________________
Date _________
Use ordinal numbers to answer each question
1.
Sunday is the __first or 1st____day of the week.
2.
My birthday is on the ___varies___ day of the month.
3.
In the car race below, what color is the car in fourth place? ___red__
4.
In the car race above, what color is the car in second place? ___purple__
5.
My next birthday will be my ______varies______ birthday.
6.
Spell the word for the order of the yellow dot: ______fifth___
7.
Spell the word for the order of the green dot: ______fourteenth____
8.
Spell the word for the order of the red dot: ______eleventh________
9.
Circle the ordinal number: 23 Main Street
10.
Fill in the blank with the correct ordinal number or word: (Be careful, they are not in order.)
3rd Place
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1st
first
2nd
second
8th
eighth
9th
ninth
4th
fourth
7th
seventh
10th
tenth
5th
fifth
6th
sixth
3rd
third
Bonus Questions: What are the numbers called you use for counting? __Cardinal___ Use the
picture to help you remember.
Today is the _____varies______ day of the month.
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