a. Supplies needed: 40 index cards, marker, tape

b. Instructions – Variation #1:

i. Using 40 index cards, write each digit on its own index card for

each phone number. Make two sets of index cards for each phone

number.

ii. Tape together one set of each phone number in the correct order to use as a target guide. Leave the other digit cards loose.

iii. Display the target taped card set.

iv. Place the loose cards in the correct order below to match the order of the taped target card set above.

v. Once the loose cards are in the correct order, say each number aloud as you touch/point to each card in the correct order.

c. Instructions – Variation #2:

i. Using 20 index cards, write each digit on its own index card for each phone number.

ii. Place the loose cards in the correct order.

iii. Once the loose cards are in the correct order, read them aloud as you touch/point to each card in the correct order.

Index Card Video Link 

a. Supplies needed: 20 sheets of paper 8.5”x11” (or any size), marker/printer

b. Instructions – Variation #1:

i. Write or print each digit on its own paper for each phone number.  Make one set of each phone number.

ii. Set the papers on the floor in a line so that the hopper can see the numbers upright from their point of view.

iii. Walk with alternating feet onto each number in order while saying each number aloud.

c. Instructions – Variation #2:

i. Using the same set-up as Variation #1, hop on one foot onto each number in order while saying each number aloud. 

Hopscotch Video Link 

a. Supplies needed: 13 sheet of paper 8.5”x11” (or any size), marker/printer, outdoor chalk

b. Instructions – Variation #1:

i. Create an oversized phone keypad.

1. Write using a marker (or printer) each digit used on a phone pad (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, * and #) onto a sheet of paper.

2. Layout the 12 sheets on the floor in the formation of a phone keypad.

3. Write CALL on a sheet to place under the zero button.

ii. Step onto each sheet in order while saying each number aloud, including the CALL button.

c. Instructions – Variation #2:

i. Create an oversized phone keypad.

1. Draw a grid of 3 boxes by 4 boxes using chalk on the ground outside.

2. Write in each digit used on a phone pad (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, * and #).

3. Draw a CALL button under the zero button.

ii. Step onto each number in order while saying each number aloud, including the CALL button.

a. Supplies needed: 12 disposable drinking cups, sheet of paper (optional), marker/printer, scissors, tape, sheet of foamboard (optional), lid guides (optional), hot glue (optional)

b. Instructions – Variation #1:

i. Create an oversized phone keypad.

1. Write using a marker (or print, cut and adhere using tape) each digit used on a phone pad (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, * and #) onto the bottom side of its own disposable drinking cup.

2. Layout the 12 marked cups upside down with the numbers showing in the formation of a phone keypad on a foamboard.

3. Create a pretend CALL button using a sheet of paper or index card to be placed under the zero cup.

4. Optional: Adhere the arranged cups onto the foamboard using tape. Or, for multiple/longer-term use, use hot glue to adhere lids in the layout location of each cup so that cups are removable for easy storage.

ii. Tap your fingers lightly onto each cup in order while saying each number aloud.

c. Instructions – Variation #2:

i. Using the same set-up as Variation #1, place the keypad on the floor.

ii. Sit in a chair facing the keypad or stand next to a table for balance.

iii. Tap your foot lightly onto each number in order while saying each number aloud.

Cup Tapping Video Link 

a. Supplies needed: cookie sheet, salt (or sugar, uncooked dry rice, sand, etc.), index card target guide from Teaching Activity #1

b. Instructions – Variation #1:

i. Spread a thin layer of salt on a cookie sheet.

ii. Use the index card target guide from Teaching Activity #1 to follow.

iii. Use a finger to write out the digits of the phone number in the salt while saying each number aloud.

iv. Gently shake tray to “erase” the numbers and repeat.

c. Instructions – Variation #2:

i. Follow instructions for Variation #1 but remove the index card target guide.

a. Supplies needed: voice

b. Instructions – Variation #1:

   i. Count how many syllables your phone number has (note: the number zero and seven have 2 syllables; all others have 1 syllable).

ii. Pick a familiar song that has the same number of syllables as your phone number and sing your numbers to its rhythm. Some suggested songs:

10 syllables (for example, 516-555-1946):

a. “Three blind mice, Three blind mice, See how they run”

b. “Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream”

c. “Five little monkeys jumping on the bed”

d. “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Knees and Toes (add a clap)”

11 syllables (for example, 516-555-1947):

a. The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song: “M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E”

b. Brother John/ Frère Jacques: “Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping? Brother John “/“Frère Jacques, frère Jacques, Dormez-vous?”

12 syllables (for example, 516-555-1977):

a. “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you”

b. “Ring around the rosie, Pocket full of posies”

c. “Old MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O”

13 syllables (for example, 516-555-1777):

a. “Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb”

14 syllables (for example, 516-555-7777):

a. “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are”

b. “Eenie, meenie, minie, mo, catch a piggy by the toe”

c. Instructions – Variation #2:

i. Count how many syllables your phone number has (note: the number zero and seven have 2 syllables; all others have 1 syllable) and the number of syllables in whose phone number it is. For example, “516-555-1946 Mom” has 11 syllables.

ii. Pick a familiar song listed in Variation #1 that has the same number of syllables as the phone number plus whose number it is, and sing the numbers with the name to its rhythm.

a. Supplies needed: body movements

b. Instructions – Variation #1:

i. Cross your arms with your fingers resting on the opposite upper arm.

ii. Alternate between tapping your right fingers onto your left upper arm with tapping your left fingers onto your right upper arm while saying each number aloud.

c. Instructions – Variation #2:

i. Place your right palm on your right upper leg and your left palm on your left upper leg.

ii. Alternate between tapping your right hand on your right upper leg with tapping your left hand on your left upper leg while saying each number aloud. 

Rhythmic Finger Tapping Video Link 

a. Supplies needed: paper, pen/pencil

b. Instructions:

i. Write phone number on a piece of paper.

ii. Use paper to try grouping smaller chunks of numbers together in a meaningful way, such as:

1. Realize the area code may be a commonly used start to phone numbers in your local area.

2. Use the letters assigned to each number on a phone keypad to spell out words, such as…

a. 3-6-4 = DOG

b. 2-2-8 = CAT

c. 7-8-2-7 = STAR

d. 6-2-4-5 = MAIL

e. 4-4-6-2 = GINA

f. 3-7-3-3 = FRED

3. Use the smaller chunks of numbers to associate with something meaningful, such as…

a. 2-3 = basketball legend Michael Jordan’s jersey number

b. 5-1-0 = Aunt Gina’s home address

c. 1-9-4-6 = Grandma’s birth year

d. 2-0-1-3 = year of first vacation to Florida

TIP: A combination of meaningful numbers and words may work best for your phone number, for example... 

555-486-7866

local area code – G-U-M – R-T-6-6

local area code – chewing gum – the iconic highway Route 66

a. Supplies needed: sticky note, pen/pencil

b. Instructions:

i. Write phone number(s) on a sticky note. (TIP: Use the Cluster and Meaningful Numbers Teaching Activity to also include on your sticky note.)

ii. Hang the sticky note in a place you will see it often or routinely, such as...

• Bathroom mirror (while you brush your teeth)

• Kitchen: coffee maker, refrigerator door, cabinet door, water dispenser

•  Bedroom: shirt drawer, mirror

•  Computer monitor / laptop screen frame

•  Television

•  On backside of cell phone

•  Daily personal planner/agenda/notebook

•  Home’s front door

•  Car dashboard

SIMILAR / ALTERNATIVE IDEAS:

•  Use a dry-erase marker to write phone numbers on bathroom/bedroom mirror.

•  Use phone numbers to memorize as commonly used computer passwords to manually enter until you have them memorized.

a. Supplies needed: business card size cardstock, pen

i. Write phone number(s) on a card. (TIP: Use the Cluster and Meaningful Numbers Teaching Activity to also include on your sticky note.)

ii. Place card in a place you will likely to have with you that is NOT your phone, such as:

•  Backpack/Purse Pocket

•  Wallet

•  Car glove compartment

•  Inside garage incase you get locked out of house

a. Supplies needed: each digit 0-9 on a sheet of paper (preferably laminated), masking tape, equipment for ten various activities (jump rope, basketball with hoop, etc.), print out of ten famous dance moves (see list below)

SUGGESTION: have each student’s name and 2 phone numbers on an index card taped to a rubber band or hair tie to wear on their wrist to have access to the phone numbers and hands free to do activities.

b. Instructions – Variation #1:

i. Post each digit sheet spread out in order on all four walls around the gymnasium.

ii. Starting in the center of the gymnasium, each participant runs to each digit sheet to tap it in the sequence of their phone numbers, crisscrossing the gymnasium as necessary until the last digit in their phone number is tapped.

iii. End back in the center when done with last digit and yell out “SEND to <fill in the name of the person/relationship>!”

iv. Repeat with second phone number.

c. Instructions – Variation #2:

i. Post each digit sheet spread out in order on all four walls around the gymnasium.

ii. Set up an activity at each digit post, such as:

•  DIGIT STATION #1: shoot a basketball too make ONE basket

•  DIGIT STATION #2: try to dribble TWO basketballs with both hands at the same time

•  DIGIT STATION #3: try to juggle THREE small items

•  DIGIT STATION #4: shoot a hockey puck into the goal FOUR times

•  DIGIT STATION #5: hop up and down FIVE times

•  DIGIT STATION #6: try to do SIX burpees

•  DIGIT STATION #7: do a plank for SEVEN seconds

•  DIGIT STATION #8: try to do EIGHT pushups.

•  DIGIT STATION #9: a jump rope to jump rope over NINE times

•  DIGIT STATION #0: spin around THREE times

iii. Starting in the center of the gymnasium, each participant runs to each digit activity station in the sequence of their phone numbers, does the activity at that digit station, and crisscrosses the gymnasium as necessary until the last digit in their phone number is visited.

iv. End back in the center when done after last digit and yell out “SEND to <fill in the name of the person/relationship>!”

v. Repeat with second phone number.

d. Instructions – Variation #3:

i. Post each digit sheet spread out in order on all four walls around the gymnasium.

ii. Post a popular dance song know for its dance moves at each digit station, such as:

•  DIGIT STATION #0: Hokey Pokey (“right hand” in verse)

•  DIGIT STATION #1: Chicken Dance

•  DIGIT STATION #2: Do-si-Do (with a partner)

•  DIGIT STATION #3: Floss

•  DIGIT STATION #4: Wobble

•  DIGIT STATION #5: Running Man

•  DIGIT STATION #6: YMCA

•  DIGIT STATION #7: Cotton Eye Joe

•  DIGIT STATION #8: Bye Bye Bye (by NSYNC)

•  DIGIT STATION #9: Macarena

iii. Starting in the center of the gymnasium, each participant runs to each digit activity station in the sequence of their phone numbers, does the dance moves of the song, and crisscrosses the gymnasium as necessary until the last digit in their phone number is visited.

iv. End back in the center when done after last digit and yell out “SEND to <fill in the name of the person/relationship>!”

v. Repeat with second phone number.

a. Supplies needed: beads with numbers, beads with letters, other colored beads, string, scissors

i. Make a bracelet by:

1.  Stringing beads with numbers in correct sequence of phone number. 

2. Adding beads with letters to either side spelling the name/initials of the person whose phone number it is.

3.  Adding additional colored beads to fill the strand (if desired).

ii. Create a second bracelet for the second phone number.

iii. Wear the bracelets to help practice reciting them until memorizing them is complete.