All About the Number 1

Materials Needed

• Number card showing 1
• One small toy or stuffed animal
• Five to ten small objects, such as blocks, buttons, or toy animals
• Paper
• Crayons or washable markers
• Play dough or a tray of sand, rice, or flour
• Optional: music for a movement game

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize and name the number 1.
• Count one object using the words “one” and “1.”
• Show one object when asked.
• Trace or make the numeral 1.
• Find examples of “one” in everyday life.

Success Criteria

Success looks like this:

• “I can say the number 1.”
• “I can give you one thing.”
• “I can find one thing.”
• “I can make the number 1.”

Introduction: Let’s Meet One

Time: 5 minutes

Hold up one toy and say:

“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to play with the number 1!”

Show the number card and say:

“This is the number 1. Can you say, ‘one’?”

Invite the child to look around and find one item nearby.

Ask:

• “Can you find one shoe?”
• “Can you touch one table?”
• “Can you hold up one finger?”

Body of the Lesson

I Do: Watch Me Count One

Time: 5 minutes

1. Place several objects in front of the child.
2. Pick up only one object.
3. Touch it and say slowly, “One.”
4. Place it beside the number card.

Say:

“I picked up one block. One means there is not a group. There is just one.”

Repeat with different objects, such as one button, one car, or one stuffed animal.

Quick check: Hold up two objects and ask, “Is this one?” Then hold up one object and ask, “Is this one?”

We Do: Find One Together

Time: 8 minutes

Place several groups of objects on the floor or table. Make groups with one, two, and three objects.

Say:

“Let’s find the group with one object.”

Help the child touch and count each group. Count slowly:

• “One.”
• “One, two.”
• “One, two, three.”

Ask the child to choose the group with only one object.

Next, give the child a small pile of objects and say:

“Please give me one block.”

Repeat with different objects:

• “Give me one bear.”
• “Give me one crayon.”
• “Give me one button.”

Think and talk: Ask, “What is one thing you like to play with?” Accept answers such as “one car,” “one doll,” or “one ball.”

Movement Game: One, Two, Freeze!

Time: 5 minutes

Play music or clap a steady beat. Give simple directions:

• “Take one jump!”
• “Clap one time!”
• “Stomp one foot!”
• “Touch one knee!”

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

We Do: Make the Number 1

Time: 8 minutes

Model how to make the number 1:

“Start at the top. Make a straight line down. This is 1.”

Invite the child to:

1. Trace the number 1 with a finger in the air.
2. Trace the number 1 in sand, rice, or flour.
3. Build the number 1 with play dough.
4. Draw the number 1 with a crayon.

Use gentle language such as:

“Your number looks like a line. You are making 1!”

You Do: One-Object Hunt

Time: 8 minutes

Invite the child to look around the home and collect examples of one object at a time. The child may choose:

• One spoon
• One sock
• One book
• One toy
• One leaf

For each item, ask:

“How many did you find?”

Help the child answer, “One.” Place the objects together and count them as separate examples of one.

Creative Choice Activity

Time: 8 minutes

Let the child choose one activity:

• One Sticker: Put one sticker on a paper and draw a picture around it.
• One-Item Picture: Draw one sun, one flower, or one animal.
• One Tower: Build a tower with one block, then add more blocks and count how the tower changes.
• Number 1 Collage: Decorate a large numeral 1 with crayons, paper pieces, or safe craft materials.

Ask the child to explain the picture or creation:

“Tell me about your one thing.”

Formative Assessment

Throughout the lesson, observe whether the child can:

• Point to the number 1 when shown several number cards.
• Say “one” when shown one object.
• Give one object when asked.
• Tell whether a group has one object or more than one.
• Attempt to trace or create the numeral 1.

Summative Assessment: Show Me One

Time: 5 minutes

Ask the child to complete these tasks:

1. “Point to the number 1.”
2. “Show me one finger.”
3. “Give me one object.”
4. “Find one object in the room.”
5. “Draw or trace the number 1.”

Celebrate effort and give specific feedback:

“You found one block and counted it carefully. You know that 1 means one thing.”

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only one object and an empty space at first.
• Say and repeat the word “one” slowly.
• Guide the child’s hand while tracing the number 1.
• Use large objects that are easy to see and hold.
• Offer choices: “Do you want one block or one car?”

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Ask the child to find one object in several different rooms.
• Compare one object with groups of two or three.
• Ask the child to draw one object and write the number 1 beside it.
• Look for the number 1 on a clock, book, calendar, or house number.

Conclusion and Recap

Time: 3 minutes

Show the number card again and ask:

• “What number is this?”
• “How many is one?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “What is one thing you found today?”

Finish with this chant:

“One little finger, one little nose,
One little flower, one little rose.
One means one—now we know!
Number 1 is ready to go!”

End by saying:

“Today we learned that the number 1 means one. You found one, counted one, and made the number 1!”