Part 1
Begin the lesson by having students choral count as follows:
“Start at 132 and count forward by 10s.” Have students stop at 232. (132, 142, 152, 162, 172, 182, 192, 202, 212, 222, 232)
“Start at 385 and count forward by 5s.” Have students stop at 445. (385, 390, 395, 400, 405, 410, 415, 420, 425, 430, 435, 440, 445)
“Start at 570 and count forward by 100s.” Have students stop at 1,070. (570, 670, 870, 970, 1070)
“Start at 842 and count backward by 100s.” Have students stop at 42. (842, 742, 642, 542, 442, 342, 242, 142, 42)
“Start at 745 and count backward by 5s.” Have students stop at 690. (745, 740, 735, 730, 725, 720, 715, 710, 705, 700, 695, 690)
“Start at 360 and count backward by 10s.” Have students stop at 280. (360, 350, 340, 330, 320, 310, 300, 290, 280)
Part 2
“How many of you can count to 1,000? If you count to 1,000, what is the biggest number that you count?” (1,000) Write this on the right side of the board.
“What is the smallest number?” (1) Write this on the left side of the board.
“Pick a number between 1 and 1,000.” Call on a student and write the student’s number in the middle of the board.
“Pick a number that is smaller.” Call on a student and write this student’s number between 1 and the student-choice number written in the middle of the board.
“Pick a number that is larger.” Call on a student and write this student’s number between the student-choice number written in the middle of the board and 1,000.
“You are going to be playing a game in pairs. The purpose of the game will be to build the largest number that you can.”
On the board draw three horizontal lines. __________ __________ __________
“I am going to draw three number tiles from a jar. After I draw each number, you will decide where to put the number (line 1, line 2, or line 3). Once a number is written down, it cannot be erased.”
Draw one tile from the set of tiles. Show students the tile. “What line should this number go on?” Write their response on the board, return the tile to the jar, and draw another tile. Show students the tile. “What line should this number go on?” Write their response on the board, return the tile to the jar, and draw another tile. Show students the final tile and write the number on the remaining line.
Ask a volunteer to read the number. “Is this the largest number we could have possibly made?” Write on the board the largest number students could have made and circle it.
“What is the smallest number you could have made?” Write students’ response on the board.
“Now you are going to playing a game in which you will try to create the biggest number possible, like the class did. I will put you into pairs and you will work together to come up with the biggest number possible.”
Put the students into pairs. Distribute a copy to each student of the Comparing Numbers Group Activity sheet (M-2-1-3_Comparing Numbers Group Activity.docx).
Draw a tile. Read the number to students and students decide within their groups where to place the number. Replace the tile in the bucket. Also, remind students once they put a number down it cannot be changed. Students should write the group’s choice for number placement on their own papers.
Draw the second tile and have students decide where to place that number.
Draw the third tile and have the groups write the number on their remaining line.
Have a volunteer from each group come up to the board and write his/her number on the board. Have the student volunteer read his/her number to the class.
“Which number is the largest?” Circle it. “Why do you think this number is the largest?”
Have students write down the biggest number on line one of their paper. “Which number is the second largest number? Why?” Have students write the number from the board on line two of their papers.
Repeat this process of figuring out the next largest numbers with the remaining numbers on the board.
Repeat the steps of game 1 for game 2 and game 3. For game 3, have students write the numbers from least to greatest rather than greatest to least.
Then say, “I am going to write some symbols on the board.” Write >, <, and =. Point to > and say, “This symbol stands for greater than.” Write 127 > 120 on the board and say, “One hundred twenty-seven is greater than one hundred twenty.” Point to the < symbol and say, “This symbol stands for less than.” Write 451 < 845 and say, “Four hundred fifty-one is less than eight hundred forty-five.” Point to the = symbol and say, “This symbol stands for equal to or the same as.” Write 53 = 53 and say, “Fifty-three equals fifty-three. Fifty-three is the same as fifty-three.”
Point out that the greater-than and less-than symbols resemble an open mouth. Ask students, “Would you rather have 20 cookies or 80 cookies?” (80) Write 20 < 80, emphasizing that the symbol looks like a mouth eating the greater number. Ask, “Would you rather have 17 donuts or 2 donuts?” (17) Write 17 > 2, emphasizing that the symbol looks like a mouth eating the greater number.
Ask students which symbols belong in the following examples:
- 235 352 (<)
- 768 712 (>)
- 165 165 (=)
- 545 554 (<)
- 213 123 (>)
Have students choral read the examples with the correct symbols inserted.
Give each student a copy of the Ordering and Comparing Numbers Worksheet (M-2-1-3_Ordering and Comparing Numbers Worksheet and KEY.docx). As students fill out the worksheet, move around the room observing and asking clarifying questions to evaluate which students understand ordering and comparing numbers and which need additional exploration.
Extension:
- Routine: Partners play Order Up (M-2-1-3_Game Board.pdf). Each pair of students will need a game board and one set of place-value number cubes.
Each player writes 1 in the first box and 1,000 in the last box. Player 1 rolls all three place-value number cubes to create a three-digit number. S/he writes that number on his/her game board somewhere in between 1 and 1,000. Player 2 does the same. Players continue taking turns, rolling the number cubes, creating a three-digit number, and writing it on his/her game board in the correct order. The winner of the game is the player who has the most boxes filled in when the time is up.
Additional activities can be found under Related Resources.
- Small Group: Have students use base-ten blocks to build each number they are ordering or comparing. Allow students to use hundreds charts and/or number lines when ordering and comparing numbers.
- Expansion: Students will draw three number tiles and will write from greatest to least the six possible combinations for the three number tiles. (For example: 1, 2, 3 would become 321, 312, 231, 213, 132, 123). Students will repeat the process two more times and then check their work with the other students also completing the expansion.
Students could also repeat the same activity with four number tiles and create numbers in the thousands.
