All About the Number 1
Materials Needed
- One favorite toy or stuffed animal
- Number cards or paper with the number 1
- Paper and crayons
- Play dough or clay
- Small objects to count, such as blocks, buttons, or toy animals
- One paper plate or small bowl
- Optional: music for a counting song
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.
- Use the word “one” in a simple sentence.
Success Criteria
Success looks like this:
- “I can find the number 1.”
- “I can give you one thing.”
- “I can say one when I see one object.”
- “I can make a number 1 with my finger, crayon, or play dough.”
Introduction: The One-Object Hunt
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. Celebrate the response with a high five or a cheerful clap.
Ask:
- “How many toys am I holding?”
- “Can you find one toy in the room?”
- “Can you bring me one block?”
Tell the child: “Today we will learn about the number 1. We will find it, count it, make it, and use it.”
Body of the Lesson
I Do: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Show the child a large number card or a paper with 1 written on it.
Say:
“This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Point to one object, such as one block, and count slowly:
“One.”
Model tracing the number with your finger:
“Start at the top. Go down. That makes 1.”
Have the child watch you make a number 1 in the air using a large arm movement. Then invite the child to copy you.
We Do: Count One Together
Time: 8 minutes
Activity 1: One in the Bowl
- Place several small objects beside the bowl.
- Say, “Let’s put one block in the bowl.”
- Help the child place only one object inside.
- Touch the object and say, “One block.”
- Empty the bowl and repeat with different objects.
Ask:
- “How many blocks are in the bowl?”
- “Should we put one more in, or do we already have one?”
Activity 2: One-Finger Actions
Give simple directions. The child should do each action once:
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Tap your knee one time.”
- “Spin one time.”
After each action, say, “You did it one time!”
Quick Check
Show the child two cards: one with 1 and one with another number or a group of dots. Ask:
“Can you point to the number 1?”
Next, place one object and then a group of several objects on the table. Ask:
“Which group has one?”
You Do: Number 1 Choice Activities
Time: 15 minutes
Let the child choose at least two activities.
Choice A: Make a Number 1
- Give the child play dough or clay.
- Say, “Can you make a long number 1?”
- Help the child shape a straight line.
- Trace the number 1 with a finger and say, “One.”
Choice B: Draw One
- Ask the child to draw one sun, one flower, or one favorite toy.
- Write the number 1 nearby.
- Ask, “What did you draw one of?”
Choice C: Number 1 Search
- Place number cards around the room.
- Ask the child to find the number 1.
- Each time the child finds it, say, “You found 1!”
- Invite the child to place each card in a special “number 1” spot.
Choice D: One-Item Delivery Game
Pretend to run a little delivery shop. Give directions such as:
- “Please deliver one block.”
- “Please deliver one crayon.”
- “Please deliver one toy animal.”
When the child delivers the item, say, “You delivered one!”
Real-World Connection
Look around the home together and find things that come as one:
- One front door
- One nose
- One refrigerator
- One favorite stuffed animal
- One person in a picture
Say:
“We use numbers to talk about things we see every day. One means just one.”
Movement and Song
Time: 5 minutes
Sing this simple chant while holding up one finger:
“One, one, touch your nose.
One, one, touch your toes.
One little finger in the air.
One big smile because we care!”
Repeat the chant, allowing the child to choose one movement for the final line.
Assessment
Formative Assessment
Watch and listen during the activities. Check whether the child can:
- Point to the number 1.
- Show one finger.
- Choose one object from a group.
- Say “one” while counting one object.
- Follow a direction one time.
Give specific feedback:
- “You gave me exactly one block.”
- “You found the number 1.”
- “You counted carefully: one.”
- “Your number 1 has a long straight line.”
Summative Demonstration
Ask the child to complete this short challenge:
- Point to the number 1.
- Show one finger.
- Give you one object.
- Make or trace a number 1.
- Finish the sentence: “I have one ______.”
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Give two choices: “Do you want one block or one car?”
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing the number.
- Repeat the words “one” and “number 1” often.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and hold.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find the number 1 in a book, calendar, or clock.
- Invite the child to make a picture with one of each item.
- Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Have the child teach a toy or family member about the number 1.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 5 minutes
Place the number card and one object in front of the child. Ask:
- “What number is this?”
- “How many objects do we have?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Where might we see one at home?”
Recap together:
“Today we learned that the number 1 means one thing. We found the number 1, counted one object, made the number 1, and moved one time.”
End with a celebration:
“You are a number 1 expert!”
Optional Follow-Up
During the day, look for one object at a time and say its name together: “One spoon,” “one shoe,” or “one book.” Invite the child to draw one special thing and write or trace the number 1 beside it.