One Wonderful Number: Learning About 1

Materials Needed

• One small toy or stuffed animal
• Large paper or a whiteboard
• Crayon or washable marker
• Five small objects, such as blocks, buttons, or toy animals
• Play dough or modeling clay
• Paper with the number 1 written several times
• Optional: a short song about counting

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Count one object correctly.
• Show one object when asked.
• Trace or make the shape of the numeral 1.
• Explain that 1 means “one thing.”

Success Criteria

Success looks like this:

• “I can find the number 1.”
• “I can give you one thing.”
• “I can count one object.”
• “I can make a number 1.”

Introduction: Meet Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Hold up one 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. Say together:

“One finger. One toy. One!”

Tell the child:

“Today we will play, count, and learn about the number 1.”

Body of the Lesson

I Do: Watch Me Learn About 1

Time: 5 minutes

1. Place one block on the table.
2. Touch the block and say, “One.”
3. Show the numeral 1 on paper.
4. Say, “This is the number 1. It tells us there is one thing.”
5. Trace the number slowly with your finger while saying, “Down we go to make 1.”

Quick Check: Ask, “How many blocks are here?” Help the child answer, “One.”

We Do: Find One

Time: 8 minutes

Place several groups of objects on the table: one block, two buttons, and three toy animals.

Say:

“Let’s find the group with one thing.”

1. Point to each group together.
2. Count the objects slowly.
3. Ask the child to point to the group with one object.
4. Repeat with different objects.

Use a fun movement activity:

• Take one jump.
• Clap one time.
• Give the toy one gentle pat.
• Spin around one time.

Think and Talk: Ask, “What is one thing you see in the room?” Accept answers such as “one chair,” “one table,” or “one window.”

Hands-On Activity: One Toy’s Adventure

Time: 8 minutes

Choose one toy or stuffed animal. Invite the child to take it on a tiny adventure.

1. Put the toy in one place, such as on a pillow.
2. Move the toy to one other place, such as under a chair.
3. Give the toy one pretend snack.
4. Sing one short song to the toy.

Use simple language throughout:

“We have one toy. The toy gets one snack. The toy hears one song.”

We Do: Make Number 1

Time: 7 minutes

Use play dough or modeling clay to make the number 1.

1. Roll the dough into one long snake.
2. Bend or shape it to look like 1.
3. Trace the finished number with a finger.
4. Say, “This is 1.”

Then trace the printed number 1 together. The adult may guide the child’s hand gently if needed.

You Do: Number 1 Hunt

Time: 8 minutes

Invite the child to look around the home for the number 1. Look at:

• Books
• Clocks
• Calendars
• Labels
• Number cards

Each time the child finds a 1, celebrate by saying:

“You found 1! Number 1 means one.”

If no printed numbers are available, draw several numbers, including one 1, and ask the child to find it.

Formative Assessment

During the activities, check whether the child can:

• Show one finger.
• Choose one object from a group.
• Count one object without skipping or adding objects.
• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Make a shape that looks like 1.

Give specific encouragement:

• “You gave me exactly one block.”
• “You found the number 1.”
• “You counted carefully.”

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 5 minutes

Place one object and the numeral 1 side by side. Ask:

• “What number is this?”
• “How many objects do we have?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you find one thing nearby?”

Review together:

“Today we learned that 1 means one thing. We found one, counted one, moved one, and made the number 1.”

End with a short chant:

“One little finger, point to the sky. One little number—1 is why!”

Summative Assessment: Show Me 1

Ask the child to complete these tasks independently:

1. Point to the numeral 1 among three different numerals.
2. Give the adult one object.
3. Count one object aloud.
4. Show one finger.
5. Draw or build a number 1.

The child meets the lesson goal when they complete most tasks with little or no help.

Differentiation and Adaptations

For Extra Support

• Use only one object at a time before adding more groups.
• Use large, colorful objects that are easy to see and touch.
• Guide the child’s hand while tracing the number.
• Repeat the phrase, “One means one thing.”
• Allow the child to answer by pointing, speaking, or showing a finger.

For an Extra Challenge

• Ask the child to find three different examples of one object.
• Invite the child to draw one sun, one flower, or one pet.
• Ask, “What comes after 1?” and introduce the number 2 if the child is ready.
• Have the child sort groups into “one” and “more than one.”

Real-World Connection

Point out examples of one during the day:

• “One plate for your snack.”
• “One shoe on this foot.”
• “One moon in the sky.”

Invite the child to say, “I found one!” whenever they notice a single object.