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Mandarin Numbers — 数字

Third graders learn to count in Mandarin from 一 to 五 (1 to 5) — with characters and pinyin — and put them in order. Chinese numbers are the foundation for age, prices, and dates.

Grade 3Shùzì40 minutes1 class periodACTFL / CommunicativeExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Count 1 to 5.
  • ✓Say each number.
  • ✓Order the numbers.
  • ✓Count in Mandarin.
Essential Question

一, 二, 三… Let’s count in Mandarin! Can you put the numbers 1 to 5 in order?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Numbers

Project this and have students put the Mandarin numbers in order, 一 to 五.

🔢 Put the numbers in order — 1 to 5!Try it
Tap 一 (yī, 1) first!
The Lesson · Communicative Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

40 minutes, five moves

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

1

Warm-Up — 一, 二, 三

4 min

Let’s count in Mandarin — can you count from one to five?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Count on fingers.
  • Ask how to say them.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Count.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Shùzì

10 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present 一 to 五.
  • Say the pinyin.
  • Show the characters.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Repeat.
  • Look.
3

Practice — Order Them

11 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Numbers.
  • Put them in order.
  • Say them aloud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
4

Speak — Speak

10 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Count objects.
  • Say your age.
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Count.
  • Say it.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Count to five.
  • Name a number.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Count.
  • Name it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

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

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand numbers.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: count aloud.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to math.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.2

Compare number systems.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Number cards 1-5.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is ___.”
  • Count together.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with 一 to 三.
  • Count on fingers.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Count to 十 (10).
  • Trace number characters.
  • Do simple math.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🔢Number cards
  • 💻Order the Numbers
  • 🗣️Audio
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

数字 (shùzì)number一 (yī)one二 (èr)two三 (sān)three四 (sì)four五 (wǔ)five六 (liù)six十 (shí)ten
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 comes FIRST when counting in Mandarin?
一 (yī, one).
QUESTION 2
What does “三 (sān)” mean?
Three.
QUESTION 3
What does “五 (wǔ)” mean?
Five.

Reflect: 数字.

Have students count from one to five in Mandarin (一, 二, 三, 四, 五). A printable 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.

🃏 Mandarin Numbers (Shùzì 1-5)Flip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Mandarin Numbers (Shùzì 1-5)Quiz
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.

🖨️ Mandarin Numbers (Shùzì 1-5)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: 一 (yī), 三 (sān), 二 (èr), 五 (wǔ), 六 (liù), 十 (shí), 四 (sì), 数字 (shùzì)
  1. four
  2. ten
  3. three
  4. number
  5. six
  6. one
  7. two
  8. five

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What comes FIRST when counting in Mandarin?
  2. What does “三 (sān)” mean?
  3. What does “五 (wǔ)” mean?
Answer key — Part A: 1) 四 (sì) · 2) 十 (shí) · 3) 三 (sān) · 4) 数字 (shùzì) · 5) 六 (liù) · 6) 一 (yī) · 7) 二 (èr) · 8) 五 (wǔ)
Part B: 1) 一 (yī, one). 2) Three. 3) Five.