Home›Lesson Plans›World Languages›American Sign Language · Grade 10

ASL Number Incorporation

Tenth graders learn number incorporation — a clever ASL feature where a number is built right into a sign. THREE-WEEK says “three weeks” in one sign; FIVE-O’CLOCK says the time in one. It makes signing quick and elegant.

Grade 10Number Incorporation55 minutes1 class periodACTFL / Visual LanguageExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain number incorporation.
  • ✓Combine number + sign.
  • ✓Match forms to meanings.
  • ✓Sign efficiently.
Essential Question

In ASL, a number can be built right into a sign — “three weeks” in one movement! How does number incorporation work?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Incorporated Number

Project this and match each incorporated sign to its meaning — tap the sign, then tap the meaning.

🔢 Match each sign to its meaningTry it
The Sign
Meaning
Now tap the meaning!
The Lesson · Visual-Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Sign · Reflect)

55 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Numbers Inside Signs

6 min

In ASL a number can be built into a sign — how does incorporation work?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Sign WEEK, then with THREE.
  • Ask what combined.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Notice.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Number Incorporation

13 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Model THREE-WEEK, TWO-MONTH.
  • Note the number handshape.
  • Have students copy.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Note it.
  • Copy.
3

Practice — Match Them

15 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Incorporated Number.
  • Match each one.
  • Sign along.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Sign.
  • Explain.
4

Sign — Sign

15 min

Students sign.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Sign “three weeks.”
  • Sign an o’clock time.
  • Sign to a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sign it.
  • Sign it.
  • Sign.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Sign an incorporated number.
  • Say its meaning.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sign one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Intermediate-Mid).

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand incorporation.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare number use.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to grammar.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: use incorporated numbers.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Incorporation cards.
  • Model the combination.
  • Use a mirror.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with THREE-WEEK.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Copy together.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add DOLLAR amounts.
  • Sign your age this way.
  • Sign a schedule.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🔢Incorporation cards
  • 💻Match the Incorporated Number
  • 🪩A mirror (optional)
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

number incorporationa number built into a signTHREE-WEEKthree weeks in one signTWO-MONTHtwo months in one signFIVE-O’CLOCKfive o’clock in one signAGEnumber twists near the chinDOLLARnumber twists for moneyefficientquick and clearhandshapethe number’s handshape
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is number incorporation?
Building a number right into a sign (like THREE-WEEK).
QUESTION 2
How would you sign “two months”?
Use a TWO handshape with the sign MONTH.
QUESTION 3
How would you show an o’clock time like five?
Use a FIVE handshape as “o’clock.”

Reflect: number incorporation.

Have students sign “three weeks” and “five o’clock” using number incorporation. A printable ASL numbers sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 ASL Number IncorporationFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 ASL Number IncorporationQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ ASL Number IncorporationPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: AGE, DOLLAR, efficient, FIVE-O’CLOCK, handshape, number incorporation, THREE-WEEK, TWO-MONTH
  1. two months in one sign
  2. number twists near the chin
  3. the number’s handshape
  4. quick and clear
  5. five o’clock in one sign
  6. number twists for money
  7. a number built into a sign
  8. three weeks in one sign

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is number incorporation?
  2. How would you sign “two months”?
  3. How would you show an o’clock time like five?
Answer key — Part A: 1) TWO-MONTH · 2) AGE · 3) handshape · 4) efficient · 5) FIVE-O’CLOCK · 6) DOLLAR · 7) number incorporation · 8) THREE-WEEK
Part B: 1) Building a number right into a sign (like THREE-WEEK). 2) Use a TWO handshape with the sign MONTH. 3) Use a FIVE handshape as “o’clock.”