Greater than, less than: what the sheet asks after the alligator

The alligator mouth. Every first grade teacher I know draws it on the board: the open side eats the bigger number. It works right up until the numbers have three digits, or one side is 46 + 8, and the child has to actually think about what is bigger instead of which way the mouth points.

What the sheet looks like

The greater than, less than generator prints pairs with an empty box between them for <, >, or =. You pick what to compare: plain numbers, addition expressions, subtraction expressions, a mix, or Choose the number, where a line reads something like ___ > 335 and the child circles the one of three printed choices that makes it true. The range runs from 0 to 10 for kindergarten up to 4-digit numbers for third grade, with 12 to 30 problems on a page and an optional answer key.

Why it works

• The expression modes make the child compute before comparing. 46 + 8 ___ 52 is two skills on one line, and the second one is the one being tested.
• Choose the number flips the question. "Which number could go here" is harder than "which is bigger", and it is how comparison shows up in real problems.
• Pairs can come out equal, so = is a real answer and not a trick. Kids who never see an equal pair start treating the box as a two-option guess.

Who it suits

Kindergartners get Numbers and 0–10, and the alligator is fine at that stage. Third graders can take 4-digit Choose the number, which is a real exercise in reading digits left to right. A child who is not yet sure what comes after 29 should start on the before, after and between sheet, and once comparing is easy the place value worksheet explains why 1,002 beats 999.

One sheet of mixed expressions a week keeps the skill from going stale.