Fun With the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Marker or crayon
- Number cards, including the number 1
- Small toys, blocks, or snack pieces
- Play dough
- Paper and crayons
- One small basket or bowl
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Count one object accurately.
- Connect the number 1 with the idea of “one thing.”
- Trace or try to write the number 1.
- Find examples of one thing in everyday life.
Success Criteria
“I can…”
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object when asked.
- Say, “One!” while touching one object.
- Make a number 1 with a finger, crayon, or play dough.
Introduction: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one favorite toy or one block.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one thing. Today we are going to play with the number 1!”
Show a large numeral 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. Can you make your finger look like a 1?”
Invite the child to stand tall like the number 1. Count together:
“One!”
Body of the Lesson
Part 1: I Do—Watch Me Count One
Time: 5 minutes
Place several objects on the table. Slowly choose only one object.
Say: “I am taking one block. Let’s touch it and count: one.”
Put the block in the basket. Repeat with a different object.
Say: “One means not two. One means just one.”
Model how to trace the number 1 in the air:
Say: “Start at the top. Go straight down. This makes 1.”
Quick Check
Ask:
- “How many blocks did I choose?”
- “Which number is this?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
Part 2: We Do—Find One
Time: 8 minutes
Invite the child to search for one item at a time.
Say: “Let’s find one red thing.”
When the child finds an item, touch it and count: “One red thing.”
Try several prompts:
- “Can you bring me one spoon?”
- “Can you find one book?”
- “Can you pick one stuffed animal?”
- “Can you put one block in the bowl?”
After each turn, praise the child’s thinking.
Say: “You found one! You counted carefully.”
Think-Pair-Share Option
If another child or adult is available, take turns answering:
- “What is one thing you can see?”
- “What is one thing you can hear?”
- “What is one thing you like?”
Part 3: We Do—Number 1 Movement Game
Time: 5 minutes
Give simple movement directions. Each action happens one time.
- “Do one jump.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Stamp one foot.”
- “Spin one time.”
- “Touch one chair.”
After every action, ask, “How many times?” The child answers, “One!”
Part 4: You Do—Number 1 Treasure Hunt
Time: 8 minutes
Give the child a basket or bowl.
Say: “Let’s go on a number 1 treasure hunt. Find one safe item and put it in your basket. Then tell me what you found.”
Let the child choose three to five safe items, one at a time. Encourage complete sentences:
- “I found one car.”
- “I found one blue crayon.”
- “I found one sock.”
Ask the child to check each collection:
“Let’s touch the item. Is there one?”
Part 5: Make the Number 1
Time: 8 minutes
Offer the child a choice of activities.
Choice A: Play Dough 1
Help the child roll one long piece of play dough and bend or place it to look like the number 1.
Choice B: Trace 1
Write several large number 1s on paper. Let the child trace them with a finger or crayon.
Choice C: Draw One
Ask the child to draw one object, such as one sun, one flower, or one balloon. Add the numeral 1 together.
Say: “You made the number 1! The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Real-World Connection
Look around the home and talk about things that come as one.
- “You have one nose.”
- “You have one mouth.”
- “We have one front door.”
- “This picture has one sun.”
Be careful not to expect every example to be exactly the same for every child. The goal is to notice and talk about “one.”
Assessment
Formative Assessment During the Lesson
- Ask the child to point to the number 1 among two or three number cards.
- Ask the child to hand over one object.
- Watch whether the child touches one object while saying “one.”
- Ask, “How many?” after a movement or counting activity.
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Place three number cards on the table: 1, 2, and 3. Ask the child to:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one toy.
- Show one finger.
- Trace or make the number 1.
- Tell you one thing they learned about the number 1.
Success benchmark: The child completes at least four of the five tasks with little or no help.
Differentiation
For Extra Support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Give the child hand-over-hand support when tracing.
- Repeat the same words: “One means just one.”
- Use large, brightly colored number cards.
- Allow pointing, touching, or showing a finger instead of speaking.
For an Extra Challenge
- Ask the child to sort groups containing one object from groups containing more than one.
- Invite the child to find one item of a particular color or shape.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Have the child make the number 1 using natural materials, blocks, or craft items.
- Ask the child to draw one object and label it with the numeral 1.
Conclusion and Recap
Time: 3 minutes
Show the number 1 one more time.
Say: “Today we learned about the number 1. The number 1 means one thing. We found one, counted one, moved one time, and made the number 1.”
Invite the child to complete these sentences:
- “The number we learned is ___.”
- “One means ___ thing.”
- “I can show one with my ___.”
End with a cheerful chant:
“One, one, number 1! Learning numbers is so much fun!”
Optional Follow-Up Activity
During the day, play “Spot One.” Whenever the child notices one object, they say, “I see one!” For example, one dog, one spoon, one hat, or one moon.