Number Fun: Learning About 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon, marker, or pencil
- Small objects such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or crackers
- Paper with the number 1 written several times
- Play dough or modeling clay
- One favorite toy or stuffed animal
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the number 1.
- Say that 1 means “one thing.”
- Count one object correctly.
- Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
- Find one item in a group of objects.
Success Criteria
“I can…”
- Point to the number 1.
- Show one object.
- Say, “This is one.”
- Make a number 1 with a finger, crayon, or play dough.
Introduction: One Special Thing
Time: 5 minutes
Place one favorite toy in front of the child. Say:
“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to play with the number 1.”
Ask:
- “How many toys do you see?”
- “Can you hold up one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing near you?”
Let the child explore and answer without worrying about mistakes. Celebrate effort with phrases such as, “You are thinking carefully!”
Body of the Lesson
I Do: Show and Explain
Time: 5 minutes
Write or display a large 1. Point to it and say:
“This is the number 1. We say ‘one.’ One means a single thing.”
Place one block beside the number 1. Count slowly:
“One block. There is one block.”
Model how to make the number:
- “Start at the top.”
- “Go down.”
- “Now we have 1!”
Show one object and then a group of several objects. Ask:
“Which group has one?”
We Do: Find One
Time: 8 minutes
Place several small groups of objects in front of the child. For example, make groups with one block, two blocks, and three blocks.
Give these directions:
- “Point to the group with one block.”
- “Touch the one block.”
- “Say, ‘One block.’”
Repeat with different objects, such as one toy animal, one spoon, or one crayon.
Think-and-talk prompt: Ask, “What is one thing you would take on a picnic?” Accept answers such as one apple, one cup, or one toy.
Quick check: Hold up one object and ask, “How many?” Then hold up two or three objects and ask, “Is this one?”
Movement Game: One-Step Robot
Time: 5 minutes
Pretend to be robots. Give one-step directions, such as:
- “Take one step.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Touch one toe.”
After each action, say together, “We did one!”
You Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 10 minutes
Let the child choose one way to make the number 1:
- Trace a large number 1 with a finger.
- Draw a number 1 with a crayon.
- Build a number 1 with play dough.
- Make a number 1 using one long block or craft stick.
- Walk along a number 1 drawn on the floor.
Use simple guidance when needed:
“Start at the top. Go down. You made 1!”
Creative Activity: One-Thing Picture
Time: 8 minutes
Ask the child to draw a picture that shows one thing. Suggestions include:
- One sun
- One flower
- One balloon
- One pet
- One favorite toy
Help the child write or trace the number 1 on the picture. Ask:
“What is your one thing?”
Formative Assessment: Show Me One
Ask the child to complete these tasks:
- Point to the number 1.
- Show one finger.
- Give you one object.
- Find one item in the room.
- Make a number 1.
Give specific feedback:
- “You gave me one block. You counted carefully.”
- “You found the number 1.”
- “Your number starts at the top and goes down.”
Summative Assessment: Number 1 Challenge
Invite the child to complete a short challenge independently:
- Circle the number 1 among a few different numbers.
- Put one sticker or one dot beside the number 1.
- Choose one object from a small group.
- Say, “One means one thing.”
Success benchmark: The child completes at least three of the four tasks with little or no help.
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object and the number 1 at first.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing.
- Repeat the words “one” and “number 1” often.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and touch.
- Practice for short periods with movement breaks.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find one item in several different rooms.
- Invite the child to compare one object with a group of two or three.
- Ask the child to draw several pictures, each showing one thing.
- Play “Take Away”: Start with two objects and remove one. Ask, “How many are left?”
Real-World Connection
During the day, point out examples of one:
- One nose
- One mouth
- One sun in the sky
- One book being read
- One plate at snack time
Say, “We see the number 1 all around us!”
Conclusion and Recap
Time: 3 minutes
Hold up the number 1 and ask the child to finish these sentences:
- “This is the number…” 1
- “One means…” one thing
- “I can show one with…” one finger
End with a cheerful chant:
“One finger, one clap, one big smile! We learned number 1!”
Optional Follow-Up
Read a counting book or go on a “number 1 hunt.” Look for the number 1 on signs, books, clocks, packages, or calendars. Each time the child sees it, have them point and say, “Number 1!”