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 cars
• Paper
• Crayons or washable markers
• Play dough or modeling clay
• Optional: a short counting song

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Say the word “one.”
• Count one object correctly.
• Make or trace the shape of the numeral 1.
• Find examples of “one” in everyday life.

Success Criteria

“I can show one, say one, and make a one.”

Introduction: One Special Friend

Time: 5 minutes

Show the child one favorite toy or stuffed animal.

Say:

“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to be number detectives and look for the number 1!”

Ask:

• “How many toys do I have?”
• “Can you hold up one finger?”
• “Can you say ‘one’?”

Explain the learning goal in simple language:

“Today we will find one, count one, and make the number 1.”

Body: Learn and Practice

Part 1: I Do — Show One

Time: 5 minutes

1. Place one object on the table.
2. Touch the object and slowly say, “One.”
3. Hold up one finger.
4. Show the number card with 1.

Say:

“This is one object. This is one finger. This is the number 1. The number 1 tells us there is one.”

Trace the numeral 1 in the air with your finger while saying:

“Down we go. This is 1.”

Quick Check: Ask, “Which card shows 1?” If using only one card, ask the child to point to the numeral 1.

Part 2: We Do — Find One

Time: 7 minutes

Place several objects in front of the child. Give clear instructions:

1. “Pick up one block.”
2. “Put one car beside the block.”
3. “Show me one button.”
4. “Give the teddy bear one snack.”

Count each item together by touching it once:

“One. We touched one object, so we have one.”

Play “One or Many?”

• Show one object and say, “One!”
• Show several objects and say, “Many!”
• Invite the child to decide whether each group has one or many.

Think and Talk: Ask, “Can you find one thing in this room?” The child may find one book, one shoe, or one pillow.

Part 3: Movement Game — Do One

Time: 5 minutes

Give one-step movement challenges. The child should do each action one time:

• Clap one time.
• Jump one time.
• Spin one time.
• Tap your knees one time.
• Give one high-five.

After each action, ask:

“How many times did you clap? One!”

Part 4: We Do — Make the Number 1

Time: 7 minutes

Choose one or more ways to make the numeral 1:

• Air writing: Draw 1 in the air with one finger.
• Play dough: Roll one long piece of dough and shape it like 1.
• Crayon writing: Trace a large dotted numeral 1.
• Body shape: Stand tall and pretend to be a number 1.

Model first:

“I start at the top and draw down. I made a 1.”

Invite the child to try. Praise the process:

“You started at the top and went down. You are practicing your 1!”

Part 5: You Do — Number 1 Hunt

Time: 5 minutes

Invite the child to look around the home for the numeral 1. The child may search on:

• A clock
• A book page
• A calendar
• A game or puzzle
• A food package

Each time the child finds a 1, ask:

• “What number did you find?”
• “Can you trace it with your finger?”
• “Can you say, ‘I found 1’?”

Creative Activity: One-Thing Picture

Time: 5–10 minutes

Ask the child to draw a picture with exactly one main object. Ideas include:

• One sun
• One flower
• One balloon
• One pet
• One ice cream cone

Help the child label the picture by writing a large 1 on the page. Say:

“Your picture has one main thing. You can say, ‘One balloon’ or ‘One flower.’”

Formative Assessment: Show Me One

Ask the child to complete these tasks:

1. Point to the numeral 1.
2. Hold up one finger.
3. Give you one object.
4. Count one object by touching it once.
5. Trace or make the numeral 1.

Give specific feedback:

“You gave me one block. You counted carefully!”

Differentiation and Choice

For Extra Support

• Use only one object at a time.
• Demonstrate each action before asking the child to try.
• Use a large numeral 1 and guide the child’s finger along it.
• Repeat the words “one” and “just one” often.
• Allow pointing, moving, or speaking as answers.

For More Challenge

• Ask the child to find two groups, each with one object.
• Invite the child to compare one object with a group of many objects.
• Ask the child to draw three different pictures that each show one thing.
• Look for the numeral 1 in a book and count how many times it appears.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 3 minutes

Hold up the numeral 1 and review:

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

Ask the child to complete these sentences:

• “One means __________.”
• “I can show one by __________.”
• “The number one looks like __________.”

Finish with a celebration:

“You are a number 1 superstar!”

Summative Assessment

Observe whether the child can independently complete at least four of the following five tasks:

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Say “one.”
• Show one finger.
• Count one object correctly.
• Trace, build, or draw the numeral 1.

Optional Everyday Practice

During the day, look for natural opportunities to practice:

• “Please bring me one spoon.”
• “Let’s put one sock on each foot.”
• “Can you find one red toy?”
• “We have one dog.”
• “Let’s read one page together.”