Fun With the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Paper and crayons or washable markers
- One small toy or household object
- Several blocks, buttons, or large pom-poms
- Number cards or a paper with the number 1
- One snack item, such as a cracker or piece of fruit
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the number 1.
- Say that “1” means one thing.
- Count one object correctly.
- Trace or make the number 1.
- Find examples of “one” in everyday life.
Success Criteria
Success looks like this:
- “I can show one object.”
- “I can point to the number 1.”
- “I can count one thing.”
- “I can try to make the number 1.”
Introduction: One Special Thing
Time: 5 minutes
Place one favorite toy in front of the child.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to play with the number 1.”
Show the child the number card or paper with 1.
Ask:
- “How many toys do you see?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you say, ‘One’?”
Let the child hold up one finger and repeat: “One means one thing.”
Body: Learn and Practice
Part 1: I Do—Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Point to the number 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. It looks like a straight line. The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Place one block beside the number 1.
Say: “The number 1 and one block go together.”
Model counting slowly:
- Touch the block.
- Say, “One.”
- Stop counting because there is only one block.
Trace the number 1 with your finger while saying, “Down.”
Part 2: We Do—Find One
Time: 8 minutes
Place several objects in front of the child. Ask the child to choose exactly one object.
Say: “Please give me one block.”
When the child gives you one block, celebrate:
Say: “You gave me one block! Let’s count it: one.”
Repeat with different objects, such as:
- One crayon
- One button
- One toy car
- One pom-pom
Think-Pair-Share Option: If another person is available, the child can show that person one object and say, “I found one.” For homeschool use, the child may show a stuffed animal or talk to a mirror.
Quick Check: Mix the number card 1 with one other number card. Ask, “Which card is 1?”
Part 3: Move Like One
Time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to move while practicing the number 1.
Give one instruction at a time:
- “Take one jump.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Turn around one time.”
- “Touch one toe.”
- “Give one big wave.”
After each action, ask, “How many did you do?” Encourage the answer, “One!”
Part 4: We Do—Make the Number 1
Time: 7 minutes
Draw a large number 1 on paper.
First, trace it with your finger. Then invite the child to trace it with a crayon or marker.
Say: “Start at the top. Draw one straight line down.”
Offer a hands-on choice:
- Trace the number 1 with a finger.
- Draw the number 1 with a crayon.
- Build the number 1 with one block or a craft stick.
- Make the number 1 in the air with a finger.
Do not worry about perfect writing. Praise effort and direction.
Say: “You made a number 1! It goes down like a straight line.”
Part 5: You Do—One Hunt
Time: 8 minutes
Invite the child to look around the home and find things that come in ones.
Say: “Let’s go on a one hunt. Find one thing and bring it to me, or point to it.”
Possible examples include:
- One pillow
- One spoon
- One shoe
- One book
- One stuffed animal
For each item, ask:
- “What did you find?”
- “How many did you choose?”
Encourage the child to answer, “One.”
Real-World Connection: One Snack
Time: 5 minutes
Give the child one snack item.
Say: “You have one snack. Let’s count it: one.”
Talk about other things that may come in ones:
- One nose
- One mouth
- One sun in the sky
- One birthday cake for a celebration
Ask the child to name one thing they see or use each day.
Assessment
Formative Assessment During the Lesson
- Ask the child to show one finger.
- Ask the child to choose one object from a group.
- Ask the child to identify the number 1.
- Watch whether the child counts one object once.
- Observe the child tracing or attempting to draw the number 1.
Summative Demonstration
Give the child a small group of objects and the number card 1. Ask the child to complete these tasks:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Count the object by saying, “One.”
- Show one finger.
- Try to draw or trace the number 1.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 3 minutes
Hold up the number card 1.
Ask:
- “What number is this?”
- “What does 1 mean?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “What is one thing you found today?”
End with a cheerful chant:
“One little finger, one little nose, one number 1—down it goes!”
Differentiation and Support
- For extra support: Use only two choices at a time. Place one object in the child’s hand and count it together.
- For sensory learners: Let the child make the number 1 with play dough, sand, finger paint, or blocks.
- For language support: Use the repeated phrase, “One means one thing,” and pair words with gestures.
- For a child ready for more: Ask the child to find groups of one and compare them with groups of two or three.
- For a digital option: Show the child pictures on a screen and ask them to point to the picture with one object.
Optional Creative Extension
Help the child create a “Number 1” page. Write a large 1 in the center of a sheet of paper. The child can draw, paste, or place one favorite object beside it. Ask the child to explain: “This is one ____.”