Fun with the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- Five small objects, such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons
- Paper plate or small bowl
- Play dough or modeling clay
- One favorite toy or stuffed animal
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Count one object correctly.
- Show that “one” means a single object.
- Trace or make the numeral 1.
- Find one object in a group.
Success Criteria
Success looks like this:
- “I can point to the number 1.”
- “I can give you one thing.”
- “I can count one object: 1.”
- “I can make a number 1.”
Introduction: Meet One
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one favorite toy and say:
“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you show me one finger?”
Invite the child to hold up one finger. Say the number slowly and clearly:
“One. This is the number 1.”
Ask:
- “How many toys am I holding?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one toy?”
Tell the child: “Today we will learn about the number 1. We will find one thing, count one thing, and make the number 1.”
Body of the Lesson
I Do: Watch Me Find One
Time: 5 minutes
Place several objects on the floor or table. Choose one object and move it to a paper plate or bowl.
Say:
“I am taking one block. I count it one time: 1. Now there is one block in the bowl.”
Point to the numeral 1 written on paper.
Say:
“This is what the number 1 looks like. It tells us there is one.”
Model how to write it:
- “Start at the top.”
- “Go down.”
- “Make a little line at the bottom.”
Draw a large number 1 while saying, “Down and across.”
We Do: Find One Together
Time: 8 minutes
Place groups of objects in front of the child. For example, place one block in one group, two blocks in another group, and three blocks in a third group.
Say:
“Let’s find the group with one block. Touch each group. Which group has one?”
Count the groups together. When you find the group with one object, celebrate:
“Yes! One block. We counted 1.”
Repeat with different objects, such as:
- One toy animal
- One spoon
- One sock
- One crayon
Quick Check: Hold up one object and then two objects. Ask, “Which group shows one?”
Movement Game: One-Step Dance
Time: 5 minutes
Play music or clap a simple beat. Give one-step instructions:
- “Take one step.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Spin one time.”
After each action, ask:
“How many times did we clap? One!”
Keep the activity playful and allow the child to choose the next one-action movement.
We Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 8 minutes
Use play dough or modeling clay to make a long, thin shape. Help the child bend it into the shape of the numeral 1.
Say:
“Let’s make a number 1. It goes down, then has a little line.”
Next, write a large number 1 on paper. Let the child:
- Trace it with a finger.
- Trace it with a crayon.
- Decorate it with one sticker or one dot.
Choice: The child may make the number 1 with play dough, draw it, trace it in the air, or build it with a block.
You Do: One-Object Hunt
Time: 8 minutes
Invite the child to look around the home and find objects one at a time.
Say:
“Find one red thing.”
“Find one soft thing.”
“Find one small thing.”
After each search, ask the child to place exactly one object in a basket or on a paper plate.
Ask:
- “How many things did you bring?”
- “Can you touch the one thing?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
Creative Activity: Draw One
Time: 7 minutes
Invite the child to draw one thing. Offer choices:
- One sun
- One flower
- One balloon
- One pet
- One favorite toy
Help the child write or trace the number 1 beside the drawing.
Ask the child to explain the picture:
“What did you draw? How many did you draw?”
Formative Assessment
Check understanding during the lesson by asking the child to:
- Point to the numeral 1.
- Give you one object.
- Choose one object from a group.
- Show one finger.
- Count one object aloud.
- Trace or make the numeral 1.
If the child gives more than one object, gently say:
“Let’s try again. We need just one. Take one.”
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Time: 5 minutes
Place three small groups of objects in front of the child. Make one group contain one object, one group contain two objects, and one group contain three objects.
Ask the child to:
- Point to the group with one object.
- Give you one object.
- Show one finger.
- Point to or make the numeral 1.
Suggested success 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 an empty space at first.
- Say “one” while touching the object once.
- Guide the child’s hand as they trace the numeral.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and hold.
- Repeat the same activity later in the day for a short practice session.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find one object by color, shape, or size.
- Invite the child to write the number 1 without tracing.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Let the child teach a stuffed animal how to find one.
- Look for the numeral 1 in books, labels, or a calendar.
Conclusion and Recap
Time: 3 minutes
Review the lesson with the child:
“Today we learned about the number 1. One means just one. We found one thing, counted one thing, and made the number 1.”
Ask the child to complete these sentences:
- “One means _____.”
- “I can show one with my _____.”
- “The number one looks like _____.”
Finish with a cheerful chant:
“One little finger, one little nose, one big smile—and off we go!”
Optional Everyday Practice
During the day, invite the child to notice “one” in real life:
- Put one napkin on the table.
- Choose one book for story time.
- Find one shoe or one sock.
- Give one gentle hug.
- Look for the number 1 on a calendar or clock.