Fun With the Number 1

Materials Needed

• One favorite toy
• Several small objects, such as blocks, buttons, or toy animals
• Paper
• Crayons or washable markers
• Play dough
• A card or piece of paper with the number 1 written on it
• 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.
• Find examples of “one” in everyday life.

Success Criteria

I can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Give you one object.
• Say, “One!” when I count one thing.
• Make a number 1 with a crayon, finger, or play dough.

Introduction: The Number 1 Adventure

Time: 5 minutes

Show the child one favorite toy.

Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going on a number 1 adventure!”

Invite the child to look around and find one thing.

Ask:

• “Can you find one toy?”
• “Can you hold up one finger?”
• “How many noses do you have?”

Celebrate each answer with a high five, clap, or happy dance.

Body of the Lesson

I Do: Teacher or Adult Demonstration

Time: 5 minutes

1. Meet the Number 1

Show the number card.

Say: “This is the number 1. It looks like a straight line. Number 1 tells us there is one thing.”

Point to the number and trace it slowly with your finger.

Say: “Start at the top. Go straight down. That makes a 1.”

2. Count One Object

Place several objects in front of you. Pick up only one.

Say: “I am picking up one block. One.”

Touch the block once while saying “one.” Put it beside the number 1 card.

Quick Check: Ask, “How many blocks did I pick up?”

We Do: Learn Together

Time: 8 minutes

Activity 1: Give Me One

Place a small group of objects nearby.

Say: “Please give me one block.”

Help the child choose one object. Count it together:

Say: “One block. You gave me one!”

Repeat with different objects, such as one toy animal, one button, or one crayon.

Activity 2: One-Finger Movement Game

Give simple movement directions. The child should do each movement one time.

• “Clap one time.”
• “Jump one time.”
• “Turn around one time.”
• “Tap your knee one time.”

Pause and ask, “How many times did we clap?” Encourage the answer, “One!”

Activity 3: Think, Find, and Tell

Ask the child to look around the home and find three things that come in a group of one.

Possible examples include:

• One refrigerator
• One front door
• One favorite stuffed animal
• One nose
• One moon in the sky

For each item, ask, “What did you find?” and “How many?”

You Do: Child Practice

Time: 10 minutes

Choice A: Make the Number 1

Invite the child to choose one way to make the number 1:

• Trace a large number 1 with a crayon.
• Draw a number 1 in the air.
• Build a number 1 with play dough.
• Make a number 1 using blocks or craft sticks.

Say: “Start at the top and move down. You are making a 1!”

Choice B: One-Object Hunt

Give the child a small basket or bowl.

Instructions:

1. Find one safe object.
2. Put it in the basket.
3. Say what it is.
4. Count it: “One.”

Repeat several times, returning the object before finding a new one.

Choice C: Draw One

Ask the child to draw one item, such as one sun, one flower, or one balloon.

Ask: “What did you draw? How many did you draw?”

Encourage the child to answer, “I drew one ____.”

Formative Assessment: Check During the Lesson

Use these quick checks while playing:

• Show two number cards, including 1. Ask, “Which one is 1?”
• Place one object beside a group of objects. Ask, “Which group has one?”
• Ask the child to hand you one object.
• Ask the child to hold up one finger.
• Ask, “How many is one?”

Give specific feedback:

• “You gave me exactly one block.”
• “You found the number 1.”
• “You counted one time and stopped.”

Real-World Connection

During the day, look for natural examples of one:

• One spoon at snack time
• One shoe being put away
• One storybook chosen for reading
• One pet, plant, or toy
• One candle on a pretend birthday cake

Say: “We see the number 1 all around us!”

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 5 minutes

Show the number 1 card again.

Ask:

• “What number is this?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you give me one toy?”
• “How do we make a 1?”

Invite the child to complete these sentences:

• “One means ____.”
• “I can find one ____.”
• “The number 1 looks like ____.”

End with a short celebration:

Say: “You learned about the number 1! One means just one. You found one, counted one, and made a 1!”

Summative Assessment

Ask the child to complete this five-part number 1 challenge:

1. Point to the number 1.
2. Show one finger.
3. Give you one object.
4. Count one object.
5. Trace or make the number 1.

Ready for the next lesson: The child completes at least four of the five 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 first.
• Give physical or verbal guidance as the child traces the number.
• Use large objects that are easy to see and hold.
• Repeat the same short phrase: “One means one thing.”
• Practice for short periods with movement breaks.

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Ask the child to compare one object with a group of two or three.
• Invite the child to write the number 1 without tracing.
• Ask the child to find the number 1 in a book, calendar, or mailbox.
• Invite the child to create a picture containing one of several different items.
• Ask, “What happens if we add one more?” and begin exploring the number 2.

Optional Follow-Up Activity

Read a short picture book about counting. Each time the child sees one object, pause and say, “I see one!” The child can point to the object and hold up one finger.

Caregiver Reflection

• Could the child recognize the number 1?
• Could the child count one object without counting it twice?
• Which activity was most enjoyable?
• What should we practice again tomorrow?