All About the Number 1

Materials Needed

• One large piece of paper or a small whiteboard
• Crayon or washable marker
• Small objects, such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or spoons
• Number cards or a paper with the number 1 written on it
• Play dough, clay, or strips of paper
• One favorite toy or stuffed animal
• Optional: music for a short movement game

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the number 1.
• Count one object.
• Show one object when asked.
• Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
• Connect the number 1 to everyday things.

Success Criteria

“I can” statements:

• I can find the number 1.
• I can show one thing.
• I can say, “One!” when I count one object.
• I can make a number 1.

Introduction: Meet Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Hold up one favorite toy or stuffed animal and say:

“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you hold up one finger?”

Invite the child to hold up one finger. Count slowly together:

“One finger. One toy. One clap.”

Show a card or paper with the number 1. Say:

“This is the number 1. The number 1 tells us that there is one thing.”

Learning Hook

Ask:

• “Can you find one toy?”
• “Can you give me one block?”
• “Can you take one big clap?”

Body: Learn and Practice

1. I Do: Teacher or Adult Demonstration

Time: 5 minutes

Place one object on the table. Touch it and say:

“I see one block. I touch it one time: one.”

Place two objects beside it. Point to each object and say:

“This is two. It is not one because I see more than one.”

Show the number 1 again and explain:

“This mark is called the number 1. We use it to show one thing.”

Quick Check

Hold up groups of objects, one group at a time. Ask, “Is this one?” Use groups with one, two, and three objects. Encourage the child to explain:

“Yes, it is one,” or “No, there is more than one.”

2. We Do: Count and Find One

Time: 8 minutes

Place several objects nearby. Invite the child to choose one object at a time.

1. Ask the child to pick up one object.
2. Touch the object together.
3. Say, “One!”
4. Place the object on a special “one spot.”

Repeat with different objects, such as one block, one spoon, one toy animal, and one button.

Use encouraging language:

• “You picked one block.”
• “You counted one toy.”
• “You know that one means just one.”

Think-Pair-Share Alternative

If another learner is present, one child can choose an object and the other child can count it. For homeschool, the adult and child can take turns choosing and counting.

3. Number 1 Movement Game

Time: 5 minutes

Explain:

“When I say ‘one,’ do one movement.”

Try these actions:

• One jump
• One clap
• One stomp
• One twirl
• One big stretch

Between movements, ask, “How many did we do?” Help the child answer, “One.”

4. We Do: Make the Number 1

Time: 7 minutes

Model how to make the number 1 with a finger in the air:

“Start at the top. Go down. This makes a 1.”

Invite the child to practice in several ways:

• Trace the number 1 with a finger in the air.
• Trace the number 1 on paper.
• Make a number 1 with play dough.
• Build a number 1 with blocks or strips of paper.
• Draw a number 1 with a crayon.

Do not worry about perfect handwriting. Praise effort and direction:

“You started at the top and moved down. You made a number 1!”

5. You Do: Number 1 Treasure Hunt

Time: 8 minutes

Say:

“Let’s look for things that come in ones. Find one thing and bring it back.”

The child may find one sock, one book, one spoon, or one toy. After each discovery, ask:

• “What did you find?”
• “How many did you bring?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”

Let the child choose where to search, such as the bedroom, play area, kitchen, or outdoor space.

6. Creative Choice Activity

Time: 8 minutes

Let the child choose one activity:

• One Collage: Glue one large shape, one sticker, or one favorite picture onto paper.
• Number 1 Picture: Draw the number 1 and add one object beside it.
• One-Object Story: Choose one toy and make up a short story about it.
• Number 1 Building: Build one tall tower or one small house with blocks.

Ask the child to describe the work using the word “one.” For example:

“I made one tower.”

Formative Assessment

Check understanding throughout the lesson by asking the child to:

• Point to the number 1.
• Show one finger.
• Give one object.
• Choose which group has one object.
• Say how many objects are in a group of one.

If the child gives more than one object, gently say:

“Let’s try again. One means just one. Can you give me one?”

Summative Assessment: Show What You Know

Time: 5 minutes

Invite the child to complete these tasks independently or with light help:

1. Find the number 1 from two or three number cards.
2. Place one object on the table.
3. Count the object by saying, “One.”
4. Show one finger.
5. Trace or draw the number 1.

Success benchmark: The child completes at least four of the five tasks with confidence or appropriate support.

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use large, easy-to-hold objects.
• Practice with only one object and one number card at first.
• Guide the child’s hand gently while tracing.
• Use repeated phrases: “One means just one.”
• Let the child answer by pointing, moving, or showing one finger instead of speaking.

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Ask the child to find one object in several different places.
• Ask, “What happens if I add one more?”
• Invite the child to compare one object with a group of two or three.
• Ask the child to make a number 1 using a new material.
• Have the child draw one object and label it with the number 1.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 3 minutes

Hold up the number 1 and review:

“Today we learned about the number 1. One means just one. We can show one with one finger, one object, and the number 1.”

Ask the child:

• “What number did we learn?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you bring me one toy?”
• “Can you make the number 1 in the air?”

End with a cheerful chant:

“One, one, number one! One finger, one toy, learning is fun!”

Optional Follow-Up Activities

• Look for the number 1 on signs, books, clocks, or packages.
• Count one snack before eating it.
• Read a picture book and look for one animal or one object on a page.
• Practice finding one item during daily routines.
• Sing a counting song and pause when you reach one.