Ordinal numbers show the position of an object in relation to another

I can recognise, name and represent ordinal numbers and explain the difference between ordinal and cardinal numbers.

Download all resources

Share activities with pupils

New

Year 1

Ordinal numbers show the position of an object in relation to another

I can recognise, name and represent ordinal numbers and explain the difference between ordinal and cardinal numbers.

Download all resources

Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

View new resources

Slide deck

Download slide deck

Skip slide deck

Lesson details

Key learning points

Ordinal numbers indicate a single item or event rather than a quantity.
Review how ordinal numbers are named and represented and show the shortened written names.
Ordinal numbers contain part or all of the corresponding number words. First and second are exceptions.
The difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers is the difference between quantity and position.

Keywords

Ordinal number - A number that tells the position of something in relation to something else.
Cardinal number - A number that shows how many of something there are.
First to fifth - Ordinal numbers that describe the position of something.

Common misconception

Children may confuse ordinal and cardinal numbers.

Place an emphasis on these numbers in speech throughout the day. Continue to highlight the links between them.

This lesson progresses from saying ordinal numbers to showing children how they can be mathematically recorded. Allow exploration of the relationship between ordinal and cardinal numbers outside the lesson e.g. set up races, comment when lining up.

Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).