Fun with the Number 1
Materials Needed
- One large paper or card with the number 1
- Small objects, such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or crayons
- Paper
- Crayons or washable markers
- 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 the number “one.”
- Count one object correctly.
- Show one object when asked.
- Trace or make the shape of the numeral 1.
Success Criteria
“I can show one thing, say ‘one,’ and make the number 1.”
Introduction: Hook and Objectives
Show the child one favorite toy.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we will play with the number 1!”
Tell the child:
- “We will find one thing.”
- “We will count one thing.”
- “We will make the number 1.”
Body
I Do: Teacher or Adult Demonstration
1. Meet the Number 1
Show the numeral card.
Say slowly: “This is the number 1. Say it with me: one.”
Trace the numeral with your finger while saying:
“Down we go. That makes 1.”
2. Count One Object
Place one block in front of the child.
Touch it and say: “One.”
Place several blocks nearby. Pick up only one and say: “I chose one block.”
Quick check: Ask, “How many blocks did I choose?”
We Do: Practice Together
1. Find One
Place a few groups of objects around the room. Some groups should have one object, and others should have two or three.
Say: “Let’s find a group with one thing.”
Walk together and look. When the child finds one object, celebrate by saying, “Yes! You found one!”
2. One-Object Basket Game
Place several objects in a basket.
Ask the child to take out one object.
Count it together: “One.”
Return the object and repeat with different objects.
3. Move One Time
Give simple movement directions:
- “Do one clap.”
- “Take one jump.”
- “Spin one time.”
- “Touch one toe.”
After each action, ask, “How many did you do?”
Think and Talk
Ask:
- “Can you find one shoe?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “What is one food you like?”
- “Can you find one blue thing?”
You Do: Child Practice
1. Make One with Play Dough
Invite the child to roll play dough into a long snake and bend it to make the numeral 1.
Say: “Make one long line. Now your play-dough number 1 is ready!”
2. Draw the Number 1
Have the child trace the numeral 1 with a finger first. Then invite the child to trace it with a crayon or marker.
Offer this simple direction:
“Start at the top. Draw down.”
3. One Treasure Hunt
Ask the child to find one item for each prompt:
- One soft thing
- One round thing
- One toy
- One thing that is red, blue, or another chosen color
Let the child choose one final object to show and describe.
Creative Choice Activity
Let the child choose one activity:
- Decorate a large number 1 with stickers.
- Make a collage using one type of item, such as one button or one paper shape.
- Build a tower with one block, then add blocks one at a time while counting.
- Draw one person, one animal, or one favorite toy.
Formative Assessment
During the lesson, observe whether the child can:
- Point to the numeral 1.
- Say “one.”
- Give or select one object.
- Follow a direction to perform one action.
- Trace or attempt to write the numeral 1.
Give specific feedback:
- “You gave me exactly one block.”
- “You counted one object carefully.”
- “You started at the top and drew down.”
Summative Assessment: Show Me One
Place several objects in front of the child and ask:
- “Can you point to the number 1?”
- “Can you give me one object?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you say the number?”
- “Can you make the number 1 with your finger, crayon, or play dough?”
The child meets the lesson goal when they correctly complete at least four of the five tasks with little or no help.
Differentiation
For a Child Needing More Support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Guide the child’s hand while counting and tracing.
- Use the same words repeatedly: “One means just one.”
- Let the child point, touch, or choose instead of answering verbally.
- Practice for short periods with movement breaks.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find the numeral 1 in books, signs, or calendars.
- Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
- Ask the child to make a set of one object independently.
- Invite the child to draw the number 1 without tracing.
- Explore “one more” by starting with one block and adding another.
Conclusion and Recap
Hold up the number card and ask the child to say the number.
Review together:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “How many is one?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
Say: “Today we learned that 1 means one thing. We found one, counted one, moved one time, and made the number 1.”
Optional Everyday Follow-Up
Look for the number 1 during the day on clocks, books, packages, or house numbers. Each time the child sees it, say together: “That is 1. One!”