Fun with the Number 1
Materials Needed
- One favorite toy or stuffed animal
- Paper
- Crayons or washable markers
- One paper plate or small bowl
- Safe household objects, such as blocks, socks, or spoons
- Optional: playdough, stickers, or number cards
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Count one object.
- Show a group containing one object.
- Trace or draw the number 1.
- Use the word “one” in a simple sentence.
Success Criteria
Success looks like this:
- “I can find the number 1.”
- “I can give you one thing.”
- “I can count one object: one.”
- “I can make or trace a number 1.”
Introduction: Meet Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one favorite toy and say:
“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you hold up one finger?”
Let the child hold up one finger. Count together slowly:
“One!”
Show a large written numeral 1 or write it on paper.
Say:
“This is the number 1. The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Quick Question
Ask, “Can you find one toy near you?” Give the child time to look and choose one object.
Body: Learn and Practice
1. I Do: Counting One Object
Time: 5 minutes
Place one object on the table. Touch it as you count:
“One.”
Explain:
“I touched one object, so I say one. There is not a group of many objects. There is only one.”
Show examples:
- One spoon
- One block
- One sock
- One toy
After each example, say, “How many?” Help the child answer, “One.”
2. We Do: One or More?
Time: 7 minutes
Place either one object or several objects on the paper plate. Ask the child:
“Do you see one, or do you see more than one?”
Try several rounds:
- Place one block. The child says, “One.”
- Place two blocks. The child says, “More than one.”
- Place one spoon. The child says, “One.”
- Place three socks. The child says, “More than one.”
Give specific encouragement:
“You counted carefully. You saw that there was one block.”
3. We Do: Number 1 Action Game
Time: 5 minutes
Tell the child:
“When I say ‘one,’ do the action one time.”
Try these actions:
- Clap one time.
- Jump one time.
- Tap your head one time.
- Turn around one time.
- Give one wave.
Pause after each action and ask, “How many times did you do it?”
4. You Do: Find One
Time: 8 minutes
Invite the child to search for one item in the room. Offer choices:
- Find one red thing.
- Find one soft thing.
- Find one book.
- Find one item that begins with the sound “b,” such as a block or ball.
Each time the child returns, ask:
“What did you find? How many did you bring?”
Help the child answer in a complete sentence:
“I found one book.”
5. You Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 8 minutes
Give the child paper and a crayon. Model how to write the number:
“Start at the top. Go down. Number 1!”
Let the child choose one activity:
- Trace a large number 1.
- Draw several number 1s.
- Make a number 1 with playdough.
- Build a number 1 with one long block or craft stick.
- Decorate one large number 1 with stickers.
Do not worry about perfect handwriting. Celebrate attempts and effort.
6. Creative Activity: One-Thing Picture
Time: 7 minutes
Ask the child to draw one favorite thing. It could be one sun, one flower, one pet, or one toy.
Say:
“Draw one thing. When you finish, tell me what your one thing is.”
Invite the child to complete the sentence:
“I drew one ______.”
Formative Assessment: Check as You Go
Notice whether the child can:
- Point to the numeral 1 when shown several numbers.
- Give you exactly one object.
- Count one object without saying extra numbers.
- Tell the difference between one object and more than one object.
- Make a reasonable attempt to draw or build the number 1.
If the child needs help, use a smaller number of choices and say, “Let’s touch just one object together.”
Real-World Connection
During the day, point out examples of one:
- “You have one nose.”
- “You are wearing one hat.”
- “There is one sun in the sky.”
- “Please bring me one cup.”
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 5 minutes
Review the large numeral 1 and ask:
- “What number is this?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you give me one object?”
- “What does one mean?”
Recap together:
“Today we learned that 1 means one. We counted one object, found one thing, and made the number 1.”
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Ask the child to complete these four tasks:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Count the object by saying “one.”
- Draw, trace, or build the number 1.
Celebrate with a simple statement:
“You showed me one in many ways. You are a number 1 expert!”
Differentiation and Extensions
For Extra Support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Guide the child’s finger while counting.
- Use a large number 1 with arrows showing how to trace it.
- Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
- Allow pointing, touching, or speaking as ways to answer.
For an Extra Challenge
- Ask the child to find the number 1 in a book or on a calendar.
- Ask the child to collect one object from several different rooms.
- Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
- Invite the child to make a page showing one animal, one shape, and one person.
- Ask, “What is one thing you like to do?”
Optional Follow-Up Song or Chant
Clap slowly while saying:
“One, one, one,
Counting one is fun!
One finger, one toy,
One big happy voice: one!”