How many? Let's count, compare and conquer
Cardinal numbers tell how many: 3 apples, 250 stickers, 1,000 students. In 3rd grade, kids read, write and compare these numbers into the thousands using place value. They use the symbols for greater than, less than and equal: 482 > 428. They also learn the difference between cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers like first and second, which tell position. The click comes when kids compare digits from the biggest place first and get it right every time.
Number sense grows with practice that feels fun. These are our favorite moves.
A greater than, less than song gives kids a catchy way to remember which way the symbol points. Sing it once, then pause and let kids show the symbol with their arms.
Why it works: a catchy, repeating tune gives the brain a hook to hang words on, so sung text is remembered better (Wallace, 1994).
Try it withGreater Than Less Than Inequalities SongSongsOpen it →Partners build two numbers with base-ten blocks and decide which is bigger. They start by comparing hundreds, then tens, then ones. Seeing the blocks makes the "biggest place first" rule obvious.
Why it works: kids understand an idea best when they touch it, then draw it, then write it, the order the U.S. Department of Education recommends for elementary math.
Read sentences like "She came in 3rd" and "She has 3 dogs." Partners decide if the number tells how many or position, then explain why. It clears up a common mix-up.
Why it works: when kids say the precise math words, their understanding gets sharper, a recommendation of the U.S. Department of Education's elementary math guide.
Teacher favorites right now: Greater Than Less Than Inequalities Song.
Cardinal numbers are counting numbers that tell how many, like 1, 5, 20 or 1,000.
Cardinal numbers tell how many. Ordinal numbers tell position or order, like first, second and third.
Start with the digit in the biggest place. If they match, move to the next place to the right until the digits are different. Then use greater than or less than.
Count real objects, compare prices at the store and play card games where the bigger number wins.
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