Fingers are helpful for representing quantities because they are familiar and always available to students. The structure of fingers also encourages students to notice how numbers are related to 5 and 10.  In upcoming lessons, students may find using their fingers helpful when comparing quantities. In later units, using fingers may help students count, add, and subtract.

In these materials, quantities represented with fingers are shown from the student’s perspective, as if they are looking at the teacher’s palms. The hand shown on the left (the teacher’s right hand) shows numbers 1–5, starting with a raised pinky for 1. Numbers 6–10 continue with the thumb on the other hand (the teacher’s left hand).

These fingers show 6.

When demonstrating, use the same format, with palms facing students. Start by raising the right pinky to show 1, so that students see the fingers being raised from left to right for 1‒10. Students can represent numbers with their fingers in any way, as long as they show the correct number of fingers.

Students should be encouraged to use their fingers whenever they find them helpful. However, some students may not have 10 fingers or may have limited movement in their fingers. Consider offering alternative ways for students to show quantities in activities and centers that focus on using fingers. For example, students could use the Math Fingers cards, or they could use a pair of gloves and move the fingers on the gloves up or down to show quantities. It may be helpful for all students to hold their fingers down on the table or on their lap to represent numbers instead of holding up their hands.