Number 1: One Amazing Thing!
Materials Needed
- One large paper or paper plate
- Crayons or washable markers
- Small safe objects, such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons
- Number cards or a hand-drawn card showing the number 1
- 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 number 1.
- Count one object correctly.
- Show that “one” means a single object.
- Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
- Find one item in everyday surroundings.
Success Criteria
“I can” statements:
- I can point to the number 1.
- I can give you one object.
- I can count one object: “one.”
- I can make a number 1 with my finger, crayon, or play dough.
Introduction: One Special Thing
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one interesting object, such as a toy animal or a bright block.
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!”
Explain that today’s lesson is about the number 1 and finding things that come in a group of one.
Body of the Lesson
1. I Do: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Show the number card with 1. Trace it in the air with your finger.
Say: “This is the number 1. It looks like a straight line. Watch me make it: down!”
Make the number 1 in the air, on paper, and with your finger on a table.
Place one object beside the number card.
Say: “The number 1 tells us there is one object. One block. One toy. One finger.”
Quick Check:
- “Can you point to the number 1?”
- “How many blocks are here?”
- “Show me one finger.”
2. We Do: One or More?
Time: 8 minutes
Place groups of objects in front of the child. Start with one object, then show two or three objects.
For each group, ask:
- “How many do you see?”
- “Is this one?”
- “Can you touch each object while we count?”
When showing one object, celebrate:
“Yes! There is one. One means just one.”
Play “Give Me One.” Ask the child to give you:
- One block
- One toy
- One crayon
- One pretend snack
After each turn, count the object together: “One!”
3. Movement Game: One-Step Safari
Time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to pretend to be an animal explorer.
Give one-step directions:
- “Take one big step like an elephant.”
- “Hop one time like a frog.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Roar one time like a lion.”
After each action, ask, “How many times did we do it?” Encourage the child to answer, “One!”
4. We Do: Find One
Time: 5 minutes
Go on a short “One Hunt” around the home. Look for one item in each location.
Possible clues:
- “Find one spoon.”
- “Find one blue thing.”
- “Find one book.”
- “Find one soft thing.”
Let the child choose one item to bring back to the learning space.
Ask: “What did you find? How many did you find?”
5. You Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 8 minutes
Offer the child a choice of ways to make the number 1:
- Trace a large number 1 with a crayon.
- Make a number 1 with play dough.
- Build a number 1 with blocks.
- Draw a number 1 in the air.
- Decorate one large paper number 1 with stickers or dots.
Simple direction: “Start at the top and draw one straight line down.”
Support the child as needed, but allow the child to choose colors and materials.
6. Creative Activity: One Amazing Thing
Time: 7 minutes
Give the child a paper plate or sheet of paper. Ask the child to draw one special thing.
Say: “Draw one thing you like. It could be one sun, one flower, one pet, or one toy.”
When finished, ask the child to describe the picture:
- “What is your one thing?”
- “Can you point to your one thing?”
- “What color is it?”
Formative Assessment
Observe the child during the lesson and note whether the child can:
- Identify the number 1.
- Hold up one finger.
- Count one object without adding extra numbers.
- Give one object when asked.
- Make or trace a recognizable number 1 with support.
If the child is unsure, model the answer and try again in a playful way. For example: “Let’s touch it together and say, ‘One!’”
Summative Assessment: Number 1 Challenge
Time: 5 minutes
Place several groups of objects on the floor or table. Include a group with one object and groups with more than one.
Ask the child to complete these tasks:
- “Point to the group with one object.”
- “Give me one object.”
- “Show me one finger.”
- “Point to the number 1.”
- “Make a number 1 in the air.”
Mastery goal: The child completes at least four of the five tasks, with little or no help.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 3 minutes
Review the lesson using a short chant:
“One finger, one nose,
One block, one rose.
One is a number we know—
Down we draw, and there we go!”
Ask:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “What does one mean?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “What was your favorite one thing today?”
End with encouragement: “You found, counted, and made the number 1!”
Differentiation and Adaptations
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object and two objects at first.
- Guide the child’s hand while counting or tracing.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and touch.
- Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
- Give extra time and celebrate every attempt.
For a Child Ready for More Challenge
- Ask the child to find one item of a particular color or shape.
- Invite the child to compare one object with a group of two or three.
- Ask the child to draw one object and write the number 1 beside it.
- Have the child make a simple “one” page for a counting book.
Flexible Learning Options
- Homeschool: Use household items during the One Hunt.
- Classroom: Let children work in pairs and take turns collecting one object.
- Digital learning: Ask the child to find one object on camera, hold up one finger, and trace the number 1 on the screen or in the air.
- Outdoor learning: Find one leaf, one pebble, or one flower while staying safe and following local rules.
Optional Follow-Up
Throughout the day, point out examples of one:
- “You have one cup.”
- “There is one door.”
- “You picked one apple.”
Each time, invite the child to show one finger and say, “One!”