Birthday Numbers 1 to 20 for Elementary ELLs

 This resource (Birthday Numbers 1–20 — Printable Numbers & Birthday Activities for Elementary ELL) is included in The Birthday Unit: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Birthday-Unit-for-Elementary-ESL-5279726

Mastery of number words and symbols enables ELLs to follow lessons confidently. They need to understand, say, and respond to numbers in classroom instructions. Adaptable for lower and higher elementary students. Ready-to-print PDF — ideal for immediate classroom use (no complicated setup).

Printable Number Cards (1–20)

There are two sets—number flashcards with balloons and balloon clipart for counting. They are perfect to build number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, and oral language skills for your ELLs.

Use the printable flashcards for the students recognize and name numbers 1 to 20. They can match the numeral to the balloon bunch card.

Number Recognition & Flashcard Drill. The flash cards are great for scaffolded language practice: “How many balloons?” “There are sixteen.”

Have several students grab a flashcard to say their age: I am eleven years old. 

Practice pronunciation of the numbers in English.

Small cards for recognizing and read numbers from 1 to 20 confidently. 

Just cut the word off all the twenty cards and have the students play matching these to the numeral.

Speaking/writing activities. They can say the the number word using the small cards and write it.

Worksheets

Read and Color the Number" birthday baloons worksheets. Color the correct number of balloons or shapes using your favorite colors.

Reading number words to match to the numeral will help remember these high-frequency words.

Students will listen about the numbers and color accordingly, increasing vocabulary. Then, write the color of each balloon.

Students connect number words to quantity, reinforcing counting skills from 1 to 20.

Games

Number Bingo boards. Use the number flashcards as bingo callers. Students fill in each bingo board with the numbers 1 to 20, but writing only five numbers in each. First to match 5 gets to say all their numbers aloud!

Birthday-themed activities and games.

Matching mats. Cut cards and laminate them for durability. Store number cards in an envelope labeled “Birthday Numbers 1–20”.

 Lay all three sets of cards face up on the table or in a pocket chart. Ask students to pick one numeral card, then find the matching balloon bunch and number word. Once matched, they can say the full sentence: “I see sixteen balloons. This is the number 16. It says sixteen.”

Another use for the mats is to cut all the number words and place in random order in a book ring, Students can color the balloons numbers as they see on the card.

Several spaces on the game board have a number balloon (1–20). Students roll a die and move forward. If they land on a balloon, they must say the number. There is an optional small board game to color the number word.

The worksheets are part of the complete Birthday Unit, designed to help young ELLs develop language skills around a fun, familiar theme. Go to this blog post:    https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2024/09/this-resource-is-included-in-birthday.html

Visit my blog, EFL Preschool Teachers, where you’ll find fun lessons, printable materials, and inspiration to make your classroom shine! 🧩📚CLICK: https://eflpreschoolteachers.blogspot.com/

Beach Unit Worksheets

 This resource (Beach Unit Worksheets — Printable ESL Activities for Elementary Students) is included in Beach Unit for Elementary at this link, ready to download:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Beach-Unit-for-Elementary-ESL-4075972

The Beach Unit Worksheets give students repeated exposure to key beach words through matching, labeling, reading, and writing activities. This helps solidify understanding and recall. Use the worksheets forhomework, classwork, revision, centers, substitute class, summer school. Adaptable for 

elementary, A1 level and  mixed abilities. It's a printable pdf ready for instant use in class.

Students can practice the vocabulary for the unit at their own pace and show what they know independently using this matching worksheet.Good for warm-up or consolidation lessons.

Worksheets can be used for early finishers, extra practice, or small group work, such as this Match the Word to the Picture.

Label the Picture worksheet. Students write beach words, improving written communication.

Another labeling worksheet involving clothes and body parts.

Many worksheets help students apply beach vocabulary in context using present simple or past continuous forms. It is just as completing sentences with the correct “-ing” verb form. It helps reinforce vocabulary and writing skills.

Worksheets provide an easy way for teachers to assess reading comprehension and track progress over time.

There are things that the beach sports use. Mark them down and write. Use for collaborative learning. It'sa way to improve contextual understanding by applying vocabulary in sentences and contexts.

Beach Word Search. Students find the letters to form beach vocabulary words. Great for recalling essentialvocabulary. 

Beach Numbers 1–20 Activity Pack — printable ESL/ELL number cards, games, and classroom activities for teaching counting, number recognition, and communication skills to young learners, all in the complete beach unit pack. Go to the blog post: https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2025/11/beach-numbers-120-activity-pack.html

Whether you're teaching vocabulary, grammar, or seasonal lessons, you'll find materials to enrich your classroom.

Visit my store here: Holistic English Resources by Rosa Amelia.

Using Pizza-Themed Resources to Teach Numbers 1–20

 This resource (Pizza-themed numbers 1–20 ESL resource — printable flashcards, games, worksheets and activities that save teachers prep time and engage students with counting and English practice)  is part of the Food Unit for Elementary English Language Starters. LINK: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Food-unit-for-Elementary-English-Language-Learners-Starters-11035412

This resource reinforces numbers 1 to 20. It supports cross-curricular learning by blending math and English language content.With this pizza-themed numbers set, you don’t need to design complicated worksheets or gather tons of materials. The resource is ready to go — all you need to do is print and hand out. It’s perfect for: fast-paced classrooms, mixed-ability groups, quick math + English practice.Everything is ready for printing.

Each whole pizza flashcard shows a clear quantity of pepperonis, helping students see the number they're learning.  Perfect for visual learners and beginners.

The combination of pictures and numbers provides contextual clues. Hand in the flashcards to several students and they should order themselves as they say each number on their card. This will requiere peer cooperation.

Flash cards are great as speaking opportunities:

Play a Matching Game with the small cards. Have students match the numerals to the pizza with the correct count of pepperonis. Use for number drills.

Mix up the small cards and ask students to arrange them from 1 to 20 in order. This can be done individually, in pairs, or as a classroom team challenge.

Counting and Writing Activity. Students pick up a card and count the pepperonis on the pizza. Then, write the number word (spelling)and numeral.

The worksheets provide a hands-on, quiet-time opportunity for students to practice and demonstrate their understanding.

Worksheets offer a way for students to work individually and apply what they’ve learned in a focused environment. Students count the pepperonis on each pizza, write the numeral. Then, they cut the number words from the template provided and glue on each pizza.

Teachers can use completed worksheets to informally assess counting skills and number recognition. This one is as easy to read, count and color.

You can send any worksheet for homework.

Students count the pepperonis on each pizza and match the correct number.

A variety of games in your lesson plan keeps learners motivated through the class.

Play Roll and Match with the printable board game.  🎲 Each student rolls a die and moves forward that number of spaces. When they land on a pizza number space, they: Say the number aloud: “There are 18 pepperonis.” Then, match it to a mini card. It will fun and competitive.

Blend number recognition / counting (math) with English language practice. Use these numbers mats to support number recognition, counting, and word association by giving students a physical and visual way to match and manipulate pieces. Place a mat and the cards. Students must find the matching cards. 

All the resource is great for centers, rotations, early finishers, or sub days: Students can work independently while you prep or assist others. Students will gain confidence using numbers in English — through games, speaking, and writing.

Teaching prepositions of place (such as in, on, under, next to) can be abstract for young ELL/ESL learners when taught with lists and worksheets. This **Hamburger Prepositions Activity** uses a fun, familiar theme to make spatial language *concrete and memorable*. Through hands-on placement, speaking prompts, and visual practice, students actively learn prepositions in context — perfect for centers, partner work, or whole-class instruction, all in the pack.  Go to this blog post:    https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2025/03/hamburger-prepositions-for-primary.html 

I've gathered interactive games, worksheets, and creative ideas to make teaching this unit fun!  📌 Follow my Pinterest board here:
https://www.pinterest.com/ei98srl/esl-numbers-and-math/numbers-1-to-20/

This is where I found the clipart for the resource. Here is my affliate link: 

https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/pizza-illustration-lettering-font-type/ref/2670802/?sharedby=user-3080428

Giraffe Family for Elementary EFL

 This resource is included in the Zoo Animals for EFL. Click here:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Zoo-Animals-Flashcards-for-EFL-3611842

By linking the family unit with zoo animals like giraffes, learners can apply that vocabulary in a new context. This reinforces word meaning and helps them generalize language. Variety of activities to keep kids engaged. . 

Using the printable giraffe family flashcards offers a neutral, inclusive way to talk about family structure, which may vary from student to student.

Plan to use a grid with the flashcards or small cards to get an active response for the family language in review. Students will grid the information read out by you: This giraffe has a dress. It is red.

Students will produce simple identification sentences: C1!! It’s the sister giraffe.

Written work on their notebooks where they will write several sentences from the grid on the board. Use this activity during the zoo unit.

To add a hands-on, tactile element to your giraffe family unit, I included an engaging activity where students build family vocabulary words using fun foam letters. The small giraffe family cards serve as visual prompts and guides. Each student selects a card—mother, father, baby, sister, or brother—and then uses fun foam letters to spell out the corresponding word.

This activity reinforces letter recognition, word formation, and vocabulary recall in a playful, multi-sensory way. It is a bridge between zoo animals and family vocabulary.

Low-prep Pocket Chart Sentence Builder. Students use the blank sentence templates and write like “This is brother giraffe.” to build simple family sentences.

Create pairs with the printable puzzle.  Place all the pieces face down and students flip cards to find matching pairs.

This simple path board game featuring the zoo giraffe family members allows students to practice vocabulary while having fun. Students roll a die, move their token, and say the word on the space they land on (e.g., “This is the mother giraffe”).

In the giraffe family unit, worksheets offer a calm and independent way for students to review, practice spelling, match images to words, and even build sentences using the target vocabulary.

A giraffe worksheet for labeling each member using the vocabulary words.

Write the Name for the Giraffe Family Worksheet. Students look at each giraffe family member and write the correct name under the picture as they read the sentences. This activity supports reading comprehension, name recognition, and family vocabulary. It works well as independent practice.

Follow the path and Color – Giraffe Family Colors Worksheet. In this activity, students follow each line from the giraffe family member to the color word and color the path and leaf using the correct color. This worksheet reinforces color vocabulary, visual tracking. Then, write possessive sentences for each path.

Giraffe Family Tree – Write the Word Worksheet. Students will identify how each character is related to Bill. Learners follow the visual connections and write the correct family word (mother, father, sister, grandmother, grandfather) to complete each sentence. It will review the Possessive language.

Family Labeling – Giraffe Body Parts Worksheet.Students label the parts of the giraffe’s body by following color-coded lines from each word to the correct body part. This activity reinforces basic body vocabulary (head, eye, nose, arm, leg, foot, etc.) while supporting visual tracking. It’s a simple way to integrate body parts review into the giraffe family theme.

Finger puppets connect emotionally with new vocabulary bringing characters to life. Use these for Role-Play Conversations, speaking or creative play.

This resource is available individually here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Giraffe-Family-ESL-Resource-13478626

This resource has more to check, go to this blog post:   https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2024/04/zoo-animals-have-body.html 

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