Fun with the Number 1

Materials Needed

• Large paper or a small whiteboard
• Marker or crayon
• One favorite toy or stuffed animal
• Small objects to count, such as blocks, buttons, or toy cars
• Paper and crayons
• Optional: play dough or finger paint

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Say that 1 means “one.”
• Count one object accurately.
• Trace or make the shape of the numeral 1.
• Find examples of one object in everyday life.

Success Criteria

I can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Give you one object when asked.
• Count one object by saying, “One.”
• Make a number 1 with a crayon, finger, or play dough.

Introduction: The One-Object Hunt

Time: 5 minutes

Hold up one favorite toy and say:

“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you show me one finger?”

Invite the child to hold up one finger. Look around the room together and find things that come in groups of one, such as:

• One door
• One table
• One stuffed animal
• One nose

Say:

“Today we will play with the number 1. We will count one thing, find the number 1, and make our own number 1.”

Body of the Lesson

I Do: Meet the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Write a large 1 on paper or a whiteboard. Point to it and say:

“This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”

Show one block. Touch it while counting:

“One.”

Show a group of two or three blocks and say:

“This is more than one. Today we are looking for just one.”

Quick Check: Show the child one object and then several objects. Ask, “Which group has one?”

We Do: One or More?

Time: 7 minutes

Place objects on the floor or table one group at a time. Mix groups with one object and groups with more than one object.

For each group, ask:

• “How many do you see?”
• “Is this one?”
• “Can you touch the one object?”

Have the child move one object into a special “one” spot. Say the counting word together:

“One!”

Then play a movement game:

• Take one jump.
• Clap one time.
• Spin around one time.
• Give one high-five.

After each action, ask, “How many did we do?” Encourage the child to answer, “One!”

We Do: Make the Number 1

Time: 7 minutes

Show the child how to make a number 1:

1. Start at the top.
2. Make a straight line down.
3. Add a small line across the top if desired.

Say:

“Down, down, down. This is 1!”

Invite the child to choose one way to practice:

• Trace a large number 1 with a crayon.
• Draw a number 1 in the air with a finger.
• Make a number 1 with play dough.
• Trace the number 1 on the caregiver’s hand with a finger.

Feedback: Use specific encouragement, such as:

“You started at the top and made one long line. That looks like a 1!”

You Do: My Number 1 Page

Time: 10 minutes

Give the child paper and crayons. Ask the child to:

1. Draw one large number 1.
2. Draw one picture, such as one sun, one ball, or one flower.
3. Color the picture.

Ask the child to tell you about the drawing:

“What is your one thing?”

If the child draws more than one object, gently say:

“You drew several things. Can you circle just one?”

Real-World Number 1 Hunt

Time: 5 minutes

Walk through the home or look around the learning space. Invite the child to find three examples of one. For example:

• One pillow
• One spoon
• One book

Each time the child finds one object, say:

“You found one book. One!”

For a choice-based activity, let the child choose one:

• Find one object in each room.
• Build one tower with blocks.
• Give one object to a stuffed animal.
• Take one photograph of one special object with adult help.

Formative Assessment

During the lesson, observe whether the child can:

• Show one finger.
• Identify the numeral 1 when shown among other numerals.
• Choose one object from a group.
• Say “one” while touching one object.
• Attempt to draw or form the numeral 1.

If the child needs help, use fewer objects, model each action again, and offer hand-over-hand guidance only with permission.

Summative Assessment: Show Me One

Time: 5 minutes

Ask the child to complete these tasks:

1. Point to the number 1.
2. Show one finger.
3. Give you one object.
4. Count the object by saying, “One.”
5. Make or trace a number 1.

The child does not need to complete every task perfectly. Celebrate attempts and note which skills need more practice.

Conclusion: One More Time

Time: 3 minutes

Review the lesson by holding up one finger and saying:

“Today we learned about 1. One means just one. We found one object, counted one, and made the number 1.”

Ask the child:

• “What number did we learn?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you find one thing to hold?”

End with one clap and say:

“One great job!”

Differentiation and Extensions

For Extra Support

• Use only one object at a time.
• Make the numeral 1 very large.
• Let the child trace over a dotted number 1.
• Use repeated language: “One means one thing.”
• Allow pointing, gestures, or choosing instead of speaking.

For an Extra Challenge

• Find the numeral 1 in a book, calendar, or clock.
• Sort objects into groups of one.
• Make a pattern using one block of each color.
• Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
• Invite the child to teach a stuffed animal about the number 1.

Optional Follow-Up Activity

Create a “One Book.” On separate pages, help the child draw or paste one item on each page. Add simple captions such as:

• One sun
• One dog
• One apple
• One smile