Fun With the Number 1

Materials Needed

• Large paper or a whiteboard
• Crayon or washable marker
• Small objects such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or cereal pieces
• One favorite toy
• Paper and child-safe scissors
• Optional: music for a counting song

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Say that 1 means “one.”
• Count one object correctly.
• Trace or draw the numeral 1 with help or independently.
• Find examples of one thing in everyday life.

Success Criteria

“I can…”

• Point to the number 1.
• Show one object.
• Say, “This is one.”
• Make a number 1.

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 thing. Today we are going to play with the number 1!”

Invite the child to look around and find one thing. It might be one shoe, one spoon, or one book.

Ask:

• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you find one toy?”
• “How many toys are you holding?”

Body of the Lesson

I Do: Meet the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Draw a large numeral 1 on paper or a whiteboard.

Say: “This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ The number 1 tells us that there is one thing.”

Demonstrate counting one object:

1. Place one block on the table.
2. Touch the block.
3. Say slowly, “One.”
4. Point to the numeral 1.

Explain: “The block shows one. This mark shows the number 1.”

Show the child how to make the numeral 1 in the air. Say: “Start at the top and make one straight line down.”

We Do: Count One Together

Time: 8 minutes

Place several small objects nearby. Ask the child to choose a favorite kind of object.

Take turns making groups of one:

1. The adult places one object in a small space.
2. The child touches it and says, “One.”
3. The adult places two or three objects together.
4. The child moves only one object into the small space.

Repeat with different objects.

Ask:

• “Is this one?”
• “Can you give me one block?”
• “Can you give me one button?”
• “What happens if we add one more?”

Movement Game: One-Finger Actions

Time: 5 minutes

Say, “When I say ‘one,’ do one action!” Give playful directions such as:

• “Take one big jump.”
• “Clap one time.”
• “Stomp one foot.”
• “Turn around one time.”
• “Touch one finger to your nose.”

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

We Do: Make the Number 1

Time: 7 minutes

Invite the child to practice making the numeral 1 in several ways:

• Trace a large number 1 with a finger.
• Draw a number 1 in the air.
• Make a number 1 with a crayon.
• Build a number 1 using blocks or small objects.
• Make a number 1 with a finger in the air or on a table.

Use simple language: “Start at the top. Move straight down. You made a 1!”

You Do: One Treasure Hunt

Time: 8 minutes

Tell the child: “Let’s go on a one treasure hunt. Find things that come in groups of one.”

Invite the child to find three examples, such as:

• One pillow
• One spoon
• One stuffed animal
• One book
• One sock

For each item, ask the child to touch it and say, “One ____.”

Allow the child to choose whether to look in the kitchen, bedroom, play area, or outside.

Creative Activity: One-of-a-Kind Picture

Time: 10 minutes

Give the child paper and crayons. Ask the child to draw one special thing, such as one sun, one flower, one pet, or one favorite toy.

Talk about the drawing:

• “What did you draw?”
• “How many did you draw?”
• “Can you write or trace the number 1 beside it?”

Celebrate the child’s work by saying: “You drew one special picture and added the number 1!”

Formative Assessment: Quick Checks

Use these checks during the lesson:

• Show two numeral cards or write 1 and another numeral. Ask, “Which one is 1?”
• Place one object and ask, “How many?”
• Place several objects and ask the child to give you one.
• Ask the child to show one finger.
• Ask the child to trace or make the numeral 1.

Give specific feedback:

• “You gave me exactly one block.”
• “You pointed to the number 1.”
• “You started at the top and made a straight line.”

Summative Assessment: Show What You Know

Ask the child to complete these four tasks:

1. Point to the numeral 1.
2. Give the adult one object.
3. Say, “One.”
4. Trace or draw the numeral 1.

The child is successful when they complete at least three tasks with little or no help.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 5 minutes

Hold up one finger and say:

“Today we learned about the number 1. One means just one. We counted one thing, found one thing, and made the number 1.”

Ask the child to finish these sentences:

• “The number is…”
• “One means…”
• “I can show one by…”

End with a simple chant:

“One finger up, one clap too,
One little number—1, that’s you!”

Differentiation and Adaptations

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only one object at a time.
• Guide the child’s hand while counting or tracing.
• Use a large numeral 1 and highlight the starting point.
• Repeat the same activity with familiar objects.
• Offer choices: “Do you want one block or one car?”

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Ask the child to find the numeral 1 in books, signs, or labels.
• Ask, “What happens when we add one more?”
• Invite the child to make groups with one, two, and three objects.
• Ask the child to draw one object and label it with the numeral 1.

Optional Follow-Up Activities

• Read a counting book and look for pages showing one object.
• Sing a song about one little monkey, one little star, or one little duck.
• Put one item on each step while walking up stairs.
• At snack time, count out one cracker, one berry, or one slice of fruit.
• Look for the number 1 during a short walk or while shopping.