Writing the Numerals 0 to 10 and Matching Each Numeral to a Group of Objects

Look for this idea outside of your lessons. Numerals are everywhere. They sit on house doors, on clocks, on price tags, and on the pages of a Bible. Reading them correctly is how you find the right house and the right verse. This is worth learning because you cannot show your thinking to anyone until you can write numbers clearly.

Watch for it today, and when you spot it, tell someone what you noticed and how you knew. Let us look at this together. A numeral is the mark we write for a number. Zero means none at all. Write 1 as one straight line down.

Write 2 with a curve and a flat line. Each numeral has its own shape, and each shape stands for an amount. When you write 6 next to six acorns, the mark and the pile mean the same thing. Practice each numeral from top to bottom so your writing stays neat and anyone can read it.

Watch out for numerals that look alike when written quickly. A 6 and a 9 are the same shape turned around, and a sloppy 5 can look like an S. Start every numeral at the top and take your time. Neat writing today prevents wrong answers tomorrow. Say it out loud once, and then try it with real objects.