Ordinal Numbers 1st-10th Position and Order for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 7
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Numeracy
Curriculum Theme: Numeracy
Previous Lesson: Counting and recognition of numbers 1-10.
Topic: Ordinal Numbers 1st-10th: Position and Order
Subject Matter: Ordinal Numbers (Positioning) 1st – 10th. Weekly focus: Ordinal Numbers 1st-10th: Position and Order.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Identify the ordinal numbers 1st to 10th.
• Relate ordinal numbers to cardinal numbers (e.g., 1 to 1st, 2 to 2nd).
• State the position of objects or people in a sequence from 1st to 10th.

Affective Domain

• Participate actively in activities involving ordering and positioning.
• Show interest in learning about positions and order.

Psychomotor Domain

• Arrange objects or pupils in a given order (e.g., by height).
• Point to and say the correct ordinal number for a specific position.
• Trace and copy ordinal numbers (1st-10th) in their notebooks.

Social Domain

• Take turns and follow instructions during group arrangement activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4.
• Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Numeracy resources.

Instructional Materials

• Charts showing ordinal numbers 1st-10th.
• Flashcards with ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) and their word forms (first, second, third).
• Picture cards of objects in a line (e.g., cars in a race, animals).
• Real objects for arrangement (e.g., 10 different-sized toys, blocks, pencils).
• MP4 player/tablet for video.
• Pupils’ notebooks and pencils.

Rationale for the Lesson

Learning ordinal numbers helps 5-year-olds understand sequence and order in their daily lives, such as lining up, participating in games, or understanding the order of events. It builds a foundation for more complex mathematical concepts and helps them describe positions accurately.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can count numbers from 1 to 10 and recognise the numerals 1-10.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Ordinal Numbers 1st-10th: Position and Order

Ordinal numbers tell us the *position* or *order* of things in a line or sequence. They are different from counting numbers (cardinal numbers) which tell us *how many*.

Cardinal Numbers vs. Ordinal Numbers

• 1 is for counting, 1st (first) is for position.
• 2 is for counting, 2nd (second) is for position.
• 3 is for counting, 3rd (third) is for position.
• 4 is for counting, 4th (fourth) is for position.
• 5 is for counting, 5th (fifth) is for position.
• 6 is for counting, 6th (sixth) is for position.
• 7 is for counting, 7th (seventh) is for position.
• 8 is for counting, 8th (eighth) is for position.
• 9 is for counting, 9th (ninth) is for position.
• 10 is for counting, 10th (tenth) is for position.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• A chart displaying:

  1st – first
  2nd – second
  3rd – third
  4th – fourth
  5th – fifth
  6th – sixth
  7th – seventh
  8th – eighth
  9th – ninth
  10th – tenth

• Pictures of objects in a line (e.g., animals, cars) with their positions marked.

Ordinal Numbers Rhyme

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

First, second, third we say,
For positions every day.
Fourth and fifth, then sixth comes next,
In our line, we’re never vexed.
Seventh, eighth, ninth, so clear,
Tenth position, we are here!

Actions: Pupils can point to their chest for “we say”, hold up fingers for each number, and make a line motion with their hands.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the rhyme slowly, encouraging pupils to repeat each ordinal number. Use actions to reinforce the idea of order.

Watch and Learn Ordinal Numbers

The teacher will play a short educational video to visually reinforce the concept of ordinal numbers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT8wI10k1kI

Key Words

• First – the position at the beginning of a line.
• Second – the position after the first.
• Third – the position after the second.
• Position – where something is placed in a line or group.
• Order – the way things are arranged one after another.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Manipulation of Objects, Repetition, Practical Activity.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Greeting/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in counting from 1 to 10 aloud. The teacher asks pupils to line up for a simple activity (e.g., going to the door and coming back).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, count along with the teacher, and line up as instructed.

Learning Point: Pupils recall counting numbers and practice lining up.

Step 2: Presentation (Introducing Ordinal Numbers)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Introduction

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that sometimes we need to know not just “how many” but “where” something is in a line. The teacher introduces the term “ordinal numbers” and explains they tell us the *position* or *order* of things. The teacher shows flashcards of 1st, 2nd, 3rd.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and observe the flashcards.

Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the concept of ordinal numbers and their purpose.

Step 3: Demonstration (Arranging Pupils)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher selects ten pupils and arranges them in a line according to their height, with the shortest pupil being the first and the tallest pupil being the last. The teacher then points to each pupil and clearly states their position: “You are 1st (first), you are 2nd (second), you are 3rd (third)… up to 10th (tenth).” The teacher asks other pupils to identify who is 1st, 5th, 10th, etc.

Pupils’ Activity: Ten selected pupils stand in order. Other pupils observe and identify the positions of their classmates as guided by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils visually understand position and order using their classmates.

Step 4: Reinforcement (Objects and Rhyme)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher arranges ten different objects (e.g., toys, blocks) in a line and asks pupils to identify their positions. The teacher then leads the pupils in singing the “Ordinal Numbers Rhyme” with actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the positions of the objects and sing the rhyme with actions.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of ordinal numbers through objects and a song.

Step 5: Guided Practice (Reading and Writing)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Literacy Link

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays a chart showing 1st-10th and their word forms (first-tenth). The teacher guides pupils to read each ordinal number aloud. Then, the teacher demonstrates how to write 1st, 2nd, 3rd (numeric form) and “first,” “second,” “third” (word form) on the board. Pupils are guided to trace and copy these in their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read the ordinal numbers from the chart and then trace/copy 1st, 2nd, 3rd and their word forms in their notebooks.

Learning Point: Pupils practice reading and beginning to write ordinal numbers.

Step 6: Application (Class Exercise and Ordering)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Practical Task

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher gives pupils a very simple counting or drawing task (e.g., “Draw 5 circles and colour the 1st and 3rd one,” or “Count the objects and write the number”). As pupils finish, the teacher arranges the first ten pupils to complete the task in order (1st to 10th) and asks the class to identify their positions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils attempt the given task. The first ten pupils to finish line up and the class identifies their finishing positions.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their understanding of ordinal numbers in a practical context.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. Who is the 1st person in our line?
2. Point to the 3rd object on the table.
3. What comes after 5th?
4. Say the ordinal number for number 2.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate (e.g., pointing, saying the number).

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarises that ordinal numbers tell us position and order. The teacher leads pupils in singing the ordinal numbers rhyme one more time.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and sing the rhyme.

Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and leave with a positive reinforcement.

Lesson Keywords

• First – The beginning position.
• Second – The position after the first.
• Third – The position after the second.
• Position – Where something is in a line.
• Order – The sequence or arrangement of things.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who are struggling, use fewer items (e.g., 3-5) to practice ordering. Provide larger flashcards and more repetition. Use hand-over-hand guidance for tracing ordinal numbers.
• Extension: Encourage quicker learners to identify positions of objects in the classroom (e.g., “What is the 4th book on the shelf?”). Ask them to write more ordinal numbers independently.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have all instructional materials ready, especially charts and flashcards for 1st-10th and their word forms. The core of this lesson is practical demonstration and pupil participation. Use real objects and the pupils themselves to demonstrate ordering. Emphasise the difference between “how many” (cardinal) and “where in line” (ordinal) using clear, simple language. Repeat the ordinal numbers frequently and encourage pupils to use them. The video is a good visual aid but should not replace your direct demonstration. Observe pupils’ ability to point to and say the correct positions as a key indicator of understanding.