All About the Number 1: One Wonderful Thing!
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- Number cards or a paper with the number 1
- Small objects to count, such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or pasta
- One small cup or bowl
- Play dough or modeling clay
- Paper and crayons
- Optional: a favorite song about counting
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the number 1.
- Count one object correctly.
- Show that the number 1 means “one thing.”
- Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
- Find examples of one thing in everyday life.
Success Criteria
“I can…”
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Count one object by saying, “One.”
- Make a number 1 with a finger, crayon, or play dough.
Introduction: The Mystery of One
Time: 5 minutes
Place one interesting object in front of the child, such as one toy animal or one shiny block.
Say:
“Look! I have something special. How many things do I have?”
Help the child count:
“One! I have one toy.”
Show the number card or write a large 1.
Say:
“This is the number 1. The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Movement warm-up: Ask the child to do one action at a time:
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Touch your nose one time.”
Body of the Lesson
I Do: Watch Me Count One
Time: 5 minutes
Place several objects in a group. Slowly move one object into the cup.
Say:
“I am putting one block in the cup. I touch it once and say, ‘One.’ Now there is one block in the cup.”
Show the number card 1 beside the cup.
Model the number formation:
- “Start at the top.”
- “Go down.”
- “Now we have a number 1.”
Draw the number 1 several times while the child watches. Keep the explanation simple and cheerful.
Quick check: Ask, “How many blocks are in the cup?” Encourage the child to answer, “One.”
We Do: Find One
Time: 10 minutes
Invite the child to search the room with you for things that come in groups of one.
Say:
“Let’s go on a one hunt. Can we find one book? Can we find one spoon? Can we find one toy?”
For each item:
- Ask the child to choose one object.
- Touch the object together.
- Say, “One book,” or “One spoon.”
- Place the number card 1 next to it if possible.
Think-pair-share adaptation: If more than one child is learning, have children quietly think of one item, tell a partner, and then share with the adult or group.
Quick check: Put one object in one hand and two objects in the other hand. Ask, “Which hand has one?” Let the child point or explain.
We Do: Make One with Play Dough
Time: 5 minutes
Roll a small piece of play dough into a long snake.
Say:
“Let’s bend the play dough to make the number 1.”
Make the number together. The child may also make:
- One ball of play dough
- One animal
- One long line
Ask:
- “How many play-dough balls did you make?”
- “Can you show me one?”
- “Can you point to the number 1?”
You Do: Number 1 Art
Time: 10 minutes
Give the child paper and crayons. Invite the child to choose one of these activities:
- Choice A: Trace large number 1s.
- Choice B: Draw one favorite thing.
- Choice C: Decorate one large number 1 with dots, lines, or stickers.
- Choice D: Draw one sun, one flower, or one toy.
While the child works, use simple questions:
- “What is your one thing?”
- “Can you show me one?”
- “Where is the number 1?”
Give specific feedback:
“You made one star. You counted it carefully.”
Hands-On Game: One or More?
Time: 5 minutes
Place different groups of objects on the floor or table: one block, two blocks, one toy, and three buttons.
Ask the child to pick up only the groups that show one.
Each time the child chooses correctly, say:
“Yes! This group has one.”
If the child chooses a group with more than one, say:
“Let’s count together. One, two. That is more than one. Let’s look for one.”
Real-World Connection
Explain that people use the number 1 every day:
- One nose
- One mouth
- One sun in the sky
- One home or classroom door
- One turn when playing a game
Ask the child to name one thing they see nearby. Celebrate every reasonable answer.
Formative Assessment
Check understanding during the lesson by asking the child to:
- Point to the number 1 among two or three number cards.
- Hand you one object.
- Count one object without adding another.
- Show one finger.
- Tell you whether a group has one object or more than one.
Summative Assessment: Show Me One
Time: 5 minutes
Give the child a small group of objects and ask:
- “Can you give me one object?”
- “Can you point to the number 1?”
- “Can you make a number 1 with your finger?”
- “Can you draw one thing?”
- “How many objects did you give me?”
The child is successful when they can complete most tasks with little or no help. Accept pointing, speaking, drawing, or demonstrating as ways to show understanding.
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object and one number card at a time.
- Guide the child’s hand while touching and counting one object.
- Use the phrase, “One means just one.”
- Let the child respond by pointing, showing one finger, or handing over an object.
- Practice for shorter periods with movement breaks.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find one object in a new room.
- Invite the child to write the number 1 without tracing.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Have the child make a collection with one object and explain it.
- Look for the number 1 on a calendar, book, clock, or sign.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up the number 1 and review:
“Today we learned about the number 1. The number 1 means one thing. We counted one object, found one thing, and made the number 1.”
Invite the child to finish these sentences:
- “The number we learned is…”
- “One means…”
- “I can show one by…”
End with a cheerful chant:
“One, one, number one! Learning numbers is fun!”
Optional Follow-Up
During the day, invite the child to find and photograph, draw, or point to one thing in different places. At bedtime, ask, “What was one thing you enjoyed today?”