One Wonderful Number: Learning About 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Marker or crayon
- Number card showing 1
- Small objects to count, such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or snacks
- Paper and crayons
- Play dough or modeling clay
- A small basket or bowl
- Optional: a favorite book about counting or numbers
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Say that 1 means “one thing.”
- Count one object accurately.
- Show the number 1 using a finger, objects, drawing, or play dough.
- Find examples of one thing in everyday life.
Success Criteria
I can:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object when asked.
- Say, “This is one.”
- Make or draw the number 1 with help or independently.
Introduction: One Big Surprise
Time: 5 minutes
Place one interesting object in a basket, such as one toy animal or one colorful block. Cover the basket with a cloth or your hands.
Say:
“I have a surprise. How many things are hiding in my basket?”
Reveal the object and help the child count it:
“One! There is one toy. Today we are going to have fun with the number 1.”
Show the number card and say:
“This is the number 1. One means just one thing.”
Body of the Lesson
I Do: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Draw a large number 1 on paper or a whiteboard. Trace it slowly with your finger.
Say:
“The number 1 looks like a straight line. Watch me make it.”
Model several ways to show one:
- Hold up one finger.
- Place one block on the table.
- Draw one circle.
- Make one ball from play dough.
Use simple language:
“One is not two. One is just one.”
Quick check: Ask, “Can you show me one finger?” Celebrate the child’s attempt.
We Do: One or More?
Time: 7 minutes
Place groups of objects on the table. Make some groups have one object and some have two or three objects.
For each group, ask:
“How many do you see?”
Help the child touch each object while counting. When there is one object, say:
“Yes, one! One block.”
When there is more than one, say:
“Let’s count. One, two. That is more than one.”
Play a movement game:
- “Do one clap.”
- “Take one jump.”
- “Touch one toy.”
- “Give me one high five.”
Think-and-talk prompt: Ask, “What is one thing you can see in this room?” Accept answers such as one table, one door, or one window.
We Do: The One-Thing Hunt
Time: 8 minutes
Invite the child to look around the learning space and find things that come in groups of one.
Give clear directions:
- Find one safe object.
- Bring it to the basket or point to it.
- Say what it is.
- Count it together: “One ____.”
Possible examples include:
- One book
- One pillow
- One shoe
- One spoon
- One stuffed animal
Let the child choose whether to walk, point, or tell you about the object. This gives the child control while practicing the same skill.
You Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 8 minutes
Offer the child a choice of activities:
Choice A: Draw 1
Ask the child to draw one large number 1. Provide hand-over-hand help only if needed.
Choice B: Build 1
Ask the child to use one block, one craft stick, or one piece of yarn to make the number 1.
Choice C: Make 1
Ask the child to roll one ball of play dough and place it beside the number card.
Choice D: Decorate 1
Draw a large number 1. Let the child add one sticker, one dot, or one small mark inside it.
As the child works, use encouraging language:
- “You made one.”
- “I see one mark.”
- “You are looking carefully.”
- “You showed the number 1.”
Fun Movement Break: One-Step Leader
Time: 3 minutes
Take turns being the leader. The leader gives one-action directions:
- “Take one step.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Spin one time.”
- “Touch one toe.”
Remind the child:
“We are doing one action each time.”
Formative Assessment
Check understanding throughout the lesson by asking the child to:
- Point to the number 1.
- Show one finger.
- Choose one object from a group.
- Give you one block or toy.
- Tell you whether a group has one object or more than one.
If the child is unsure, reduce the choices to two objects and model the answer. Ask again without pressure.
Summative Assessment: Show Me One
Time: 5 minutes
Place several objects in front of the child and say:
“Can you show me one?”
Ask the child to complete three or more of these tasks:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Show one finger.
- Draw or trace the number 1.
- Find one object in the room.
- Say, “One.”
Informal evaluation: The child is successful when they can complete most tasks with little or no help.
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Use the same words repeatedly: “One means one thing.”
- Guide the child’s hand as they trace the number 1.
- Let the child answer by pointing, moving, or showing a finger instead of speaking.
- Practice for short periods with movement breaks.
For a Child Ready for a Challenge
- Ask the child to find several groups containing one object.
- Ask, “What would happen if we added one more?”
- Invite the child to draw one object next to the number 1.
- Have the child look for the number 1 in books, calendars, signs, or packaging.
- Compare one and two using objects.
Real-World Connection
Explain that people use the number 1 every day:
- One person can hold one cup.
- One child can wear one hat.
- One dog may have one favorite toy nearby.
- A recipe may ask for one egg.
- A clock shows the number 1.
Conclusion: Tell Me About One
Time: 4 minutes
Show the number card one more time and ask:
- “What number is this?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing?”
- “What does one mean?”
Say:
“Today we learned about the number 1. One means one thing. We can show one with a finger, an object, a drawing, or our voice.”
Finish with one high five and say:
“You did one wonderful job learning about 1!”
Optional Follow-Up Activities
- Read a counting book and pause whenever the number 1 appears.
- Serve one small snack and ask the child to count it.
- Place one toy in each room and go on a “find one” walk.
- Sing a simple song while holding up one finger.
- Practice writing the number 1 in sand, flour, or shaving foam.