Fun with the Number 1

Materials Needed

• Large paper or a whiteboard
• Crayon or washable marker
• Small objects such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or snacks
• Number cards, including a large card with the number 1
• Play dough or clay
• Paper and stickers
• A small basket or bowl

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Say that 1 means “one.”
• Count one object correctly.
• Trace or make the number 1.
• Find examples of one object in everyday life.

Success Criteria

Success looks like this:

• “I can point to the number 1.”
• “I can show one object.”
• “I can make a number 1.”
• “I can tell you when I see one thing.”

Introduction: Meet the Number 1

Hook: Hold up one favorite toy and ask, “How many toys am I holding?”

Help the child say, “One!” Then say:

“Today we are going to be number detectives. We will look for the number 1 and find things that come in a group of one.”

Show the learning goal:

“Today we will learn to see, say, count, and make the number 1.”

Body: Learn and Practice

1. I Do: Teacher or Parent Demonstration

Show the number card with 1.

Say slowly:

“This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ One means just one thing.”

Place one block in front of the child. Touch it and count:

“One.”

Show two or three blocks, then take them away and leave one block.

Ask, “Which group has one block?”

Model writing the number:

1. “Start at the top.”
2. “Go down.”
3. “Now we have a 1.”

Quick check: Ask, “Can you point to the number 1?”

2. We Do: Practice Together

Activity A: One or More?

Place different groups of objects on the table: one block, two buttons, one toy animal, and three crayons.

Invite the child to touch each group and decide whether it shows one.

Use simple questions:

• “Is there one block?”
• “Are there more than one button?”
• “Can you find the group with one toy?”

Celebrate careful thinking:

“You found one! You counted carefully.”

Activity B: Number 1 Movement Game

Give directions using the number 1:

• “Take one jump.”
• “Clap one time.”
• “Touch one toe.”
• “Give one high-five.”

Pause after each direction and ask, “How many did we do?”

Activity C: Build the Number 1

Use play dough to make a long line. Bend or shape it to look like the number 1.

Trace the number with a finger while saying:

“Down, down, number 1.”

Think and share: Ask, “What is one thing you can see in this room?” Let the child answer with a word or point to an object.

3. You Do: Child’s Independent Practice

Choice Activity

Let the child choose one activity:

• Number 1 Art: Write or trace a large number 1. Decorate it with one sticker, one dot, or one small shape.
• One-Thing Hunt: Find five things around the home that come in groups of one, such as one door, one table, or one teddy bear.
• Number 1 Basket: Put exactly one object in a basket. Repeat with different objects.
• Snack Counting: Place one safe snack on a plate and say, “I have one snack.”

Ask the child to explain one choice:

“How do you know this is one?”

Give specific feedback, such as:

“You counted one object and stopped. That shows you understand one.”

Real-World Connection

Explain that people use the number 1 every day:

• One person can hold one cup.
• One child can wear one hat.
• A book may have one cover.
• We can take one step at a time.

Invite the child to name one thing they use or see each day.

Formative Assessment

Check understanding throughout the lesson by asking the child to:

1. Point to the numeral 1.
2. Choose one object from a group.
3. Count one object aloud.
4. Show one finger.
5. Make the number 1 with a finger, crayon, or play dough.

Summative Assessment: Show What You Know

Place the number cards 1, 2, and 3 on the table. Give the child several objects.

Ask the child to:

1. Point to the number 1.
2. Place one object beside it.
3. Say, “This is one.”
4. Make or trace the number 1.

Suggested success benchmark: The child completes at least three of the four tasks with little or no help.

Differentiation

For Extra Support

• Use only one object at a time.
• Place the numeral 1 next to a picture of one object.
• Guide the child’s hand while tracing.
• Repeat the same language: “One means just one.”
• Allow pointing, touching, or showing one finger instead of speaking.

For an Extra Challenge

• Ask the child to find the number 1 in a book, calendar, or sign.
• Invite the child to draw one object beside the numeral 1.
• Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
• Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
• Invite the child to teach a stuffed animal about the number 1.

Conclusion: Recap and Reflection

Hold up the number card again and ask:

• “What number is this?”
• “How many things does one mean?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “What is one thing you learned today?”

Say together:

“The number 1 means one. I can find one, count one, and make a 1!”

End with one clap, one jump, and one cheerful high-five.

Optional Follow-Up

During the day, pause whenever the child sees one object. Ask, “Do you see one?” Encourage the child to point, count, and say, “One!”