Number 1: One Wonderful Thing!
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a small whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- Number cards or a paper with the number 1
- One small toy, block, stuffed animal, or spoon
- Several small objects, such as blocks, buttons, or toy animals
- Play dough or modeling clay
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the number 1.
- Count one object correctly.
- Show one object when asked.
- Trace or make the number 1.
- Use the word “one” in a simple sentence.
Success Criteria
The child is successful when they can:
- Point to the number 1 when shown several numbers.
- Give or choose one object.
- Count one object by saying, “One.”
- Make a recognizable number 1 with a crayon, finger, or play dough.
Introduction: One Big Surprise
Teacher or parent says: “Today we are learning about the number 1. One means just one thing. Can you show me one finger?”
Place one special object in a small bag or behind your back. Let the child guess what is inside. Reveal the object and say:
“Look! I have one toy. Let’s say it together: one!”
Invite the child to repeat the word and hold up one finger.
Talk Together
- “How many toys do I have?”
- “How many noses do you have?”
- “Can you find one thing near you?”
Body of the Lesson
I Do: Watch Me Show One
Place several objects in front of the child. Slowly choose one object and move it to an empty space.
Say: “I am choosing one block. I touch it one time and say, ‘One.’”
Show the number card or write the number 1 in large print.
Say: “This is the number 1. It tells us there is one thing.”
Trace the number with your finger while saying:
“Straight line down. This is 1!”
Quick Check
Show the child two or three number cards, including the number 1.
Ask: “Can you point to number 1?”
Celebrate effort with specific feedback: “You found number 1! You looked carefully.”
We Do: Find One
Place a group of objects on the floor or table. Work together to complete these tasks:
- Choose one block.
- Choose one toy animal.
- Choose one spoon or crayon.
- Place each chosen object on a “one spot,” such as a piece of paper with the number 1 on it.
Ask each time:
- “How many did we choose?”
- “Can we count it?”
- “Is it one?”
Movement Game: One, Stop!
Play music or clap a rhythm. When the music stops, give the child a simple direction:
- “Do one jump.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Stomp one foot.”
- “Spin one time.”
After each action, say together: “We did one!”
You Do: One-Object Hunt
Invite the child to find one object in the room or outside.
Instructions:
- “Find one safe object.”
- “Bring it to our number 1 paper.”
- “Tell me what you found.”
Possible answers include:
- “I found one leaf.”
- “I found one car.”
- “I found one rock.”
If the child brings more than one object, respond kindly: “You found some objects. Let’s choose just one.”
Make the Number 1
Offer the child a choice of activities:
- Trace a large number 1 with a crayon.
- Draw a number 1 in the air.
- Make a number 1 with play dough.
- Build a number 1 using blocks.
- Trace the number 1 with a finger on the table.
Model the motion again:
“Start at the top and go straight down. You made 1!”
Formative Assessment: Show Me One
Ask the child to complete each task:
- “Show me one finger.”
- “Give me one block.”
- “Point to number 1.”
- “Make one clap.”
- “Draw or build number 1.”
Give immediate, encouraging feedback. If needed, demonstrate the task again and let the child try another time.
Real-World Connection
Look for examples of one during the day:
- One sun in the sky
- One nose
- One front door
- One favorite snack
- One book to read
Say: “The number 1 helps us talk about one thing.”
Conclusion: Tell Me About One
Review the lesson with the child:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “How many things does 1 mean?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing?”
Finish with a short chant:
“One little finger, hold it high.
One bright sun is in the sky.
One means one—now we know!
Number 1 is ready to show!”
Summative Assessment
Ask the child to complete this final demonstration independently:
- Find the number 1 among three number cards.
- Choose one object from a group.
- Say, “One.”
- Make or trace the number 1.
Assessment goal: 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 two choices at a time: number 1 and another number.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and hold.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing, then let the child try alone.
- Repeat the same language: “One means one thing.”
- Keep activities short and include movement breaks.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find several groups that each have one object.
- Invite the child to draw one object beside the number 1.
- Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
- Ask the child to find the number 1 in a book, calendar, or sign.
- Have the child create a “number 1 museum” with pictures or objects showing one thing.
Optional Follow-Up Activity
Create a “One Page.” Write a large number 1 on a sheet of paper. Let the child draw, glue, or place one item on the page. Ask the child to explain:
“I put one ______ on my number 1 page.”