All About the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayons or washable markers
- Paper with the number 1 written on it
- Small objects to count, such as blocks, buttons, or toy animals
- One favorite toy or stuffed animal
- Play dough or clay
- Optional: music for a movement game
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 accurately.
- Trace or make the number 1.
- Find examples of one object in everyday life.
Success Criteria
“I know I did a good job when I can show one object, say ‘one,’ find the number 1, and make a number 1.”
Introduction: Meet the Number 1
Hook: Hold up one favorite toy or stuffed animal.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to play with the number 1!”
Show the child a large numeral 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. Can you say, ‘one’?”
Warm-Up Questions
- “How many noses do you have?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one toy?”
Body
Part 1: I Do — Watch Me Count One
Place several objects in front of the child. Pick up only one object.
Say slowly: “I am holding one block. Let’s count it: one.”
Place the block in a small group or basket labeled with the number 1.
Repeat with different objects:
- One button
- One toy animal
- One crayon
Explain: “When we have one, we have just one thing—not two, not three.”
Quick Check
Hold up two groups: one group with one object and one group with several objects. Ask:
“Which group has one?”
Give specific feedback: “You found it! That group has one object.”
Part 2: We Do — Find One
Say: “Now we will find things that come in ones.”
Take turns looking around the room or home for one object. Use prompts such as:
- “Can you find one spoon?”
- “Can you bring me one book?”
- “Can you point to one door?”
- “Can you show me one shoe?”
After each discovery, count together: “One!”
Movement Game: Show Me One
Give the child simple instructions. The child should do each action one time.
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Tap your knees one time.”
- “Spin one time.”
Ask: “How many times did you jump?” Encourage the answer: “One!”
Part 3: We Do — Make the Number 1
Draw a large number 1 while describing the movement:
“Start at the top. Go down. Now we have a 1!”
Invite the child to trace the number with:
- A finger in the air
- A finger on the paper
- A finger in a tray of play dough or clay
Say together: “Down we go. That makes 1!”
Part 4: You Do — Number 1 Hunt
Give the child a paper with several numbers, including a few number 1s.
Say: “Can you circle all the number 1s?”
If paper is not available, write several numbers on scraps of paper and mix them together. Ask the child to pick out the number 1.
Part 5: You Do — One-Object Challenge
Ask the child to choose one activity:
- Draw one sun.
- Build one tower with one block.
- Make one ball of play dough.
- Place one sticker on a page.
- Bring one object to a pretend store.
Ask the child to explain: “I made or found one.”
Formative Assessment
Check understanding throughout the lesson by asking the child to:
- Point to the numeral 1.
- Show one finger.
- Give you one object.
- Choose one object from a group.
- Count one object aloud.
If the child is unsure, model the answer and try again with fewer objects.
Real-World Connection
Look for the number 1 during the day. The child might find it on:
- A clock
- A book page
- A calendar
- A house number
- A food package
Say: “The number 1 helps us tell how many. It tells us there is one thing.”
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Hold up the numeral 1 and ask:
- “What number is this?”
- “How many objects does 1 mean?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one object?”
Recap together:
“Today we learned about the number 1. One means just one. We found one object, counted one object, and practiced making the number 1.”
Summative Demonstration
Invite the child to complete this short challenge independently:
- Point to the number 1.
- Choose one object from a group.
- Say “one.”
- Show one finger.
- Trace or draw the number 1.
Ready for the next lesson: The child can recognize 1, count one object, and complete most of the challenge with little help.
Differentiation and Choice
For Extra Support
- Use only one object and one other object for comparison.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing.
- Repeat the words “one” and “number 1” often.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and touch.
For More Challenge
- Ask the child to find three examples of one object.
- Invite the child to write the number 1 without tracing.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Have the child make a page showing one item in several different ways.
Optional Extension: Number 1 Story
Make up a short story together:
“One little dog went for one walk. The dog found one ball. The dog wagged one tail!”
Invite the child to add another sentence with one object.