Fun with the Number 1
Materials Needed
- One large paper or paper plate
- Crayons or washable markers
- Small objects, such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons
- Number cards or a hand-drawn card showing the number 1
- Play dough
- Optional: a children’s song about counting
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the number 1.
- Count one object.
- Show one item when asked.
- Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
- Use the word “one” in a simple sentence.
Success Criteria
“I can find 1, show 1, count 1, and make the number 1.”
Introduction: The Number 1
Hook: Hold up one favorite toy or object.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one.”
Invite the child to find one finger and hold it up.
Say together: “One finger. One toy. One!”
Tell the Child What They Will Learn
“Today we will learn about the number 1. We will find one thing, count one thing, and make the number 1.”
Body of the Lesson
1. I Do: Meet the Number 1
Show the number card or draw a large 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. We say ‘one.’ The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Place one block beside the number.
Say slowly: “One block. I see one block.”
Trace the number in the air with your finger while saying: “Down we go to make 1.”
Quick Check
- Ask: “What number is this?”
- Ask: “How many blocks do you see?”
- Ask the child to hold up one finger.
2. We Do: Find One
Place several groups of objects nearby. For example, place one toy animal in one group, two blocks in another group, and three buttons in another group.
Say: “Let’s find the group with one thing.”
Help the child point to the group with one object.
Count together: “One!”
Think-and-Share Questions
- “Can you find one toy?”
- “Can you give me one block?”
- “Can you find one red thing?”
3. We Do: Number 1 Movement Game
Give simple directions. Complete each action only one time:
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Spin one time.”
- “Touch one toe.”
After each action, say: “We did it one time!”
4. You Do: Number Hunt
Invite the child to look around the room and find one item at a time.
Say: “Find one spoon, one book, or one stuffed animal. You choose!”
When the child finds an item, ask:
- “What did you find?”
- “How many did you find?”
Encourage the child to answer: “I found one ____.”
5. Make the Number 1
Offer one of these choices:
- Crayon: Let the child trace and draw the number 1.
- Play dough: Roll one long piece and shape it like the number 1.
- Finger writing: Let the child draw 1 in the air or on a tray.
Use simple language: “Start at the top. Go straight down. That makes 1.”
6. Creative Activity: One-Thing Picture
Give the child a paper and crayons.
Say: “Draw one thing you like.” The child might draw one sun, one flower, one dog, or one person.
Help the child describe the picture:
“I drew one ____.”
Formative Assessment
Check understanding during the lesson by asking the child to:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Count one object.
- Hold up one finger.
- Make or trace the number 1.
Offer specific feedback, such as: “You gave me exactly one block. You counted carefully!”
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Place three small groups of objects in front of the child. Ask the child to:
- Find the group with one object.
- Show the number card for 1.
- Hold up one finger.
- Draw or make the number 1.
- Say: “I can count one.”
Conclusion and Recap
Review the number card and one object.
Say:
“Today we learned that 1 means one. We found one toy, counted one object, and made the number 1.”
Ask the child:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing nearby?”
End with a cheerful chant:
“One, one, number one! Learning numbers is fun!”
Differentiation and Adaptations
For Extra Support
- Use large objects that are easy to see and hold.
- Give only two choices: one object or two objects.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing the number 1.
- Repeat the same language: “One means just one.”
For an Extra Challenge
- Ask the child to find one object of a certain color or type.
- Invite the child to draw one object and write the number 1 beside it.
- Look for the number 1 in books, signs, or a calendar.
- Ask: “What is one thing you see outside?”
Optional Follow-Up Activities
- Read a counting book and look for groups with one object.
- Sing a counting song while holding up one finger.
- Place one snack on a plate and say, “I have one snack.”
- Go on a “one walk” and find one leaf, one rock, or one flower.