Putting Everything in Order

1st     2nd   3rd    4th   5th

• Key words: ordinal numbers, speaking                                        
• Learner English skill level: Beginner                          
• Learner age level:                                                                                                          
• Preparation time: 10 minutes                                                                                          
• Activity time: 50 minutes for all activities                                                                          
• Materials: one regular size deck of cards (see below), one oversize deck of the same cards 

Here is a code-breaking game for teaching ordinal numbers and more (colors, animals, etc.). If you are familiar with the classic board game, Mastermind, this should be a no-brainer.

First things first. Introduce the concept of ordinal numbers. If you're in a classroom setting where there are more than 30 students you can do this on the board with colored chalk or round colored magnets. Begin by drawing a large red dot or by placing a red magnet on the board. Draw or place a red dot on the board saying, "This is a red dot." Have the students repeat "red dot." Then say, "the red dot is first" or "red is first" and have the class repeat after you. Continue by drawing a yellow dot or placing a yellow magnet and repeat the same process of repetition until you have about six different colored dots on the board.

Next take five or six sheets of paper in which you have drawn different colored dots and tape or use a magnet to place them at the top of the blackboard with the drawing side facing the blackboard so the students can't see them. Then have the class form into groups of 4-6 students. Pointing to the paper on the board, ask one group, "Which dot is first?" or "What's first?" Have one student answer, saying for example: "The blue dot is first" or "Blue is first." Then draw (or ask a student assistant to draw) a blue dot underneath the first sheet of paper on the board. Continue this process of question and answer in turn with the each group until there are dots drawn under all the sheets of paper on the board. If the students have guessed the order of any of the dots correctly, turn over that sheet of paper to reveal that they have discovered the correct order. Repeat the same process of question and answer until the class, working in groups, has figured out the order of  the dots.

Next ask the students to break up into pairs.

Stand in front of the class holding a blank sheet of paper and ask the students to take out a sheet of paper or distribute a sheet of paper to each student (if possible try to get the students to ask for the paper, saying something like: "May I have a sheet of paper please."). Fold the paper in half and while pointing to the sheets of paper on the board explain that they are the same or will be used for the same purpose ("this is the same as this"). Then distribute m&m candies, jelly beans, or something similar to one student in each pair and tell him/her to place them in any order he/she desires behind the folded paper so his/her partner can't see. Have the students do the same thing they did as a group, only this time in pairs. When one student has correctly guessed the order of the m&m's, etc. it's his/her partners turn to ask the questions (What's first?, etc.).

I've used handmade glass beads here, hence the irregular shapes.

If you don't have m&m's drawing little animals, etc. will work just as well.

You can even draw legs on them and have them running a race. Who's first?

That's the order of the day.