Cut a piece of construction paper or cardstock 12 inches long by 2 inches wide. Use a cutting board for the easiest cutting method.
Give each child a piece of the cut paper.
Distribute real rulers to each child. Discuss safety before passing out the rulers. Children should be warned against using their rulers in an inappropriate manner, like hitting another student.
Instruct the children to lay their piece of paper and their ruler even at the ends. The ruler should lay slightly lower than the paper so that the paper shows above the ruler. Both pieces will be long rather than tall.
Show the children how to make a short line on their paper each time that they see the numbers 1 through 12 on their ruler. The children may use a pen, pencil, crayon or marker. Be certain to check the rulers ahead of time for numbering. Some rulers do not show the numbers 1 and 12. This will need to be addressed if this type of ruler is used.
Collect the real rulers from the children. The least amount of time that the children have actual rulers, the less preoccupied they will be during the activity.
Display a number line with the numbers 1 to 12 written on it. Discuss the order of the numbers with the children.
Ask the children to write a number directly under each of the short markers they made. They will need to begin with the number 1 and continue writing the numbers in sequence. The children can write the numbers by looking at the number line.