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 household objects
• Paper and crayons
• Play dough or modeling clay
• A 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.
• Say that “1” means one object.
• Count one object correctly.
• Trace or make the numeral 1.
• Find examples of one thing in the world around them.

Success Criteria

I can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Give you one object when asked.
• Count one object by saying, “One.”
• Try to write or build the number 1.

Introduction: Meet the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Hold up one favorite toy, such as one stuffed animal or one block.

Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to have fun with the number 1!”

Show the numeral 1.

Ask:

• “Can you point to the number 1?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “What is one thing you can see?”

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

Body of the Lesson

1. I Do: Show and Explain

Time: 5 minutes

Place one object on the table.

Say: “I see one block. I touch it one time and say, ‘One.’”

Point to the numeral 1.

Say: “This is the number 1. The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”

Model how to write it in the air:

1. “Start at the top.”
2. “Slant down.”
3. “Make a little line at the bottom.”

Invite the child to copy the motion in the air using one finger.

2. We Do: One or More?

Time: 7 minutes

Place different groups of objects on the table: one block, two blocks, one spoon, and three crayons.

Look at each group together.

Ask:

• “Is there one block or more than one?”
• “Can you find the group with one thing?”
• “How many spoons are there?”

Have the child place the groups with exactly one object in a basket.

Quick Check: Show one object and then a group of two objects. Ask, “Which group shows one?” Give specific feedback, such as, “You found one! You looked carefully.”

3. Movement Game: Number 1 Actions

Time: 5 minutes

Call out actions that happen one time:

• “Clap one time.”
• “Jump one time.”
• “Spin one time.”
• “Touch your nose one time.”
• “Tap the floor one time.”

After each action, say together, “We did it one time!”

For a listening challenge, sometimes say “two claps.” Help the child notice that two is different from one.

4. We Do: Make the Number 1

Time: 7 minutes

Choose one of the following hands-on activities:

• Play dough: Roll one long piece and shape it like the number 1.
• Blocks: Use blocks or craft sticks to build the number 1.
• Finger writing: Trace the number 1 in sand, rice, or flour on a tray.
• Air writing: Draw a large 1 in the air with one finger.

Say: “Start at the top, go down, and make a little line at the bottom.”

Let the child try several times. Celebrate effort rather than perfect formation.

5. You Do: Number 1 Treasure Hunt

Time: 8 minutes

Invite the child to find things around the home that come in groups of one.

Say: “Let’s look for one thing. You may choose a room, a shelf, or a table.”

Examples might include:

• One pillow
• One cup
• One book
• One shoe
• One teddy bear

For each item, have the child:

1. Point to the item.
2. Touch it once.
3. Say, “One ____.”

Allow the child to choose which items to find. If desired, the child can draw one favorite treasure on paper.

6. You Do: Number 1 Art

Time: 8 minutes

Give the child paper and crayons.

Invite the child to choose one art idea:

• Draw one big number 1 and decorate it.
• Draw one sun, one flower, or one animal.
• Glue one large shape onto the paper.
• Make one fingerprint dot on the page and turn it into a picture.

Ask the child to explain the picture using the word “one.”

Prompt: “Tell me about your picture. What is one thing you made?”

Assessment

Formative Assessment

Throughout the lesson, observe whether the child can:

• Point to the numeral 1.
• Show one finger.
• Select one object from a group.
• Count one object without adding extra numbers.
• Follow the steps for making the numeral 1.

Use encouraging feedback:

• “You found one!”
• “You counted carefully.”
• “You started your number at the top.”
• “You kept trying. That is good learning.”

Summative Demonstration

At the end of the lesson, place several number cards and several groups of objects in front of the child. Ask the child to:

1. Find the number 1.
2. Match it to one object.
3. Say, “One.”
4. Make or trace the number 1.

Suggested benchmark: The child completes at least three of the four tasks with little or no help.

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only one object and one number card at a time.
• Guide the child’s hand while counting and tracing.
• Repeat the same simple phrase: “One means one thing.”
• Use large objects and a large number 1.
• Celebrate pointing, touching, or copying even if speech is still developing.

For a Child Ready for More

• Ask the child to find the number 1 in books, signs, or calendars.
• Compare one with two and three.
• Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
• Invite the child to make a page showing one of several different objects.
• Practice writing the number 1 independently.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 5 minutes

Gather the materials and review the number card and one object.

Ask:

• “What number did we learn today?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you give me one block?”
• “What does one mean?”

Say together:

“The number 1 means one. One is just one thing!”

Finish with one clap, one high-five, or one favorite song verse.

Optional Follow-Up Activities

• Look for the number 1 during a walk or grocery trip.
• Read a counting book and pause whenever you see one object.
• Put one item on each plate during snack time.
• Practice making one line with crayons, paint, or sidewalk chalk.
• At bedtime, ask the child to name one favorite part of the day.