Number 1 Adventure: One Wonderful Thing
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon, marker, or pencil
- Number cards or a paper with the number 1
- Small objects such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or socks
- One small basket or bowl
- Play dough or clay
- 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 one object when asked.
- Trace or make the numeral 1.
- Use the word “one” in a simple sentence.
Success Criteria
I can:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Make one mark, clap, jump, or sound.
- Try to write or build the number 1.
Introduction: The Number 1 Adventure
Time: 5 minutes
Show the child one favorite toy or one special object.
Say:
“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going on a number 1 adventure!”
Ask:
- “How many toys do I have?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you say, ‘One’?”
Tell the child:
“Today we will find one, count one, move one time, and make the number 1.”
Body: Learn and Practice
1. I Do: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Show a large numeral 1.
Say:
“This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ The number 1 tells us there is just one thing.”
Place one block beside the number 1. Touch the block while counting slowly:
“One.”
Model several examples:
- One clap
- One jump
- One toy
- One spoon
Say:
“Each time I see just one thing, I can say ‘one.’”
2. We Do: One or More?
Time: 7 minutes
Place one object in front of the child. Then place two or three objects in a separate group.
Ask:
- “Which group has one?”
- “Can you touch the group with one?”
- “How many are in this group?”
Repeat with different objects. Let the child move the objects into two spaces labeled 1 and not 1.
Quick Check: Hold up one object and ask, “How many?” Then hold up several objects and ask, “Is this one?”
3. We Do: One-Move Game
Time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to copy one movement at a time.
Say:
“When I say ‘one,’ do the movement one time.”
- One clap
- One stomp
- One jump
- One spin
- One wave
Pause after each movement and count together: “One!”
For extra fun, play music. When the music stops, the child performs one movement.
4. I Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Draw a large number 1 slowly.
Say:
“Start at the top. Go down. Now we have 1.”
Trace the number with your finger in the air, on the table, and on paper.
Say:
“The number 1 is like a straight line.”
5. You Do: Number 1 Creation Choices
Time: 10 minutes
Let the child choose one way to make the number 1:
- Draw it: Trace or draw the number 1 with a crayon.
- Build it: Use blocks, craft sticks, or toy pieces to make a 1.
- Shape it: Roll play dough into a long line and bend it slightly at the top to form a 1.
- Make it big: Walk along a large number 1 drawn on the floor.
- Find it: Look around the home for one number 1 on a book, clock, calendar, or toy.
Give specific encouragement:
“You started at the top and went down. You made a number 1!”
6. You Do: One-Object Treasure Hunt
Time: 7 minutes
Give the child a small basket. Ask the child to find one item from different places.
Use instructions such as:
- “Find one soft thing.”
- “Find one red thing.”
- “Find one toy.”
- “Find one book.”
After each search, have the child place the item in the basket and say:
“I found one!”
Return each object before searching for the next one so the child practices finding one item each time.
Real-World Connection
During the day, point out natural examples of one:
- One nose
- One sun
- One bedroom door
- One cup
- One person reading a book
Use simple sentences such as:
“You have one nose.”
“I see one sun.”
“You picked one apple.”
Assessment
Formative Assessment During the Lesson
- Ask the child to point to the number 1 among two or three number cards.
- Ask the child to give you one object.
- Ask the child to clap one time.
- Show one object and several objects, then ask which group has one.
- Observe whether the child attempts to trace or build the numeral 1.
End-of-Lesson Demonstration
Ask the child to complete these four tasks:
- Point to the number 1.
- Put one object in the basket.
- Show one finger.
- Draw, trace, or build the number 1.
Expected evidence of learning: The child completes at least three of the four tasks with little or no help.
Differentiation
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object and one number card at first.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing the number 1.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and touch.
- Repeat the same phrase: “One means just one.”
- Celebrate attempts, not perfect writing.
For a Child Ready for More Challenge
- Ask the child to find groups of one around the home.
- Compare one with two: “Which group has more?”
- Ask the child to draw one object beside the number 1.
- Invite the child to make a simple sentence, such as “I have one ball.”
- Look for the number 1 in a book, calendar, or safe digital activity.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 5 minutes
Place the number 1 and one object together. Ask the child:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “How many objects are here?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you make one clap?”
Recap together:
“Today we learned that 1 means one. We found one, counted one, moved one time, and made the number 1.”
Finish with a short chant:
“One little finger, hold it up high.
One bright sun shines in the sky.
One means one—now we know!
Number 1 is ready to go!”
Optional Follow-Up Activities
- Read a counting book and look for pages showing one object.
- Make a snack with one piece of fruit or one cracker, then count it.
- Draw one favorite animal.
- Put one sticker on a paper number 1.
- Repeat the “one” treasure hunt during another part of the day.