Writing numerals 0 to 5 — stroke order and tracing

Number Talk — flash ten-frame cards showing 0, 2, 4 dots. Children call out quantity.

• Affirm 0: 'zero is a number — it means none!'
• Connect ten-frame seen yesterday to today's writing focus.

Today we make these numbers ourselves. Each number has a special way to write it — a STROKE ORDER. We will trace, then we will write.

• Zero is a smooth oval — no straight lines.

  model On document camera: bold marker, slow strokes. 'Start at the top dot, go around like an O.'

  prompt Teacher demonstrates writing 0 (start at top, curve down around left, up around right, close).
• Some children add a hat to the top of 1 — that's a STYLE choice, both are okay.

  model 'Top, slant down, stop. That's 1.'

  prompt Demonstrate 1 (top dot, slant down to bottom).
• If your 2 looks backwards, that's normal — we'll keep practicing.

  model 'Curve around like a sleeping cat, then a line across the bottom.'

  prompt Demonstrate 2 (top curve to right, down-slant to bottom-left, across bottom).

• Where do we start writing 0? (top)
• What does 1 look like? (a slanted line)

M-K-F-NS-06-A Diagram

Six panels (one per numeral 0-5). Each panel shows the numeral in light gray with numbered red arrows showing stroke order (1, 2, 3 in sequence). Starting dot in green. Sample motor-cue text under each: '0: start top, go around left, around right, close' / '1: top, slant down' / '2: top curve, slant, line across' / '3: top curve, middle, bottom curve' / '4: down, across, down' / '5: across top, down, around bottom.' Font size 36 pt for numerals.

M-K-F-NS-06-B Video Physical / non-image

90-second video: overhead camera on a marker writing each of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in sequence on white paper. Each numeral takes ~15 seconds. Narrator voice (female, calm): 'Zero — start at the top, go around, all the way down, all the way back up, close.' Stroke direction shown by colored arrow overlay following the marker tip. Pause 2 seconds between numerals.

• Sandpaper tracing rotation — children rotate through 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 sandpaper numeral cards; trace with index finger 3 times each.

  scaffold Verbal motor cue chant for each numeral ('top, curve, around').
• Playdough form: each child rolls playdough into a thin rope and shapes 0, 1, 2 on a numeral-template card.

• In math journal, write 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (one per line, can be traced).

• Preview: 'Tomorrow we write 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.'

• Write your favorite numeral (0-5) in your math journal at home. Decorate it with one drawing.