Number 1: One Special Thing
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- Number cards or paper with the number 1
- Small objects, such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons
- Paper and crayons
- One favorite toy or stuffed animal
- 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 draw the number 1 with support.
- 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 try to make a number 1.”
Introduction: One Special Thing
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one favorite toy or stuffed animal.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we will learn about the number 1.”
Invite the child to find one special thing in the room. It could be one shoe, one book, or one toy.
Ask:
- “Can you show me one thing?”
- “How many things are you holding?”
- “Can we say, ‘I have one’?”
Tell the child: “Today we will count one thing, find the number 1, and practice making it.”
Body: Learn and Practice
1. I Do: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Show a large number 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ It looks like a straight line.”
Use your finger to trace the number in the air.
Say: “Start at the top. Go straight down. That makes a 1.”
Place one block beside the number 1.
Say: “The number 1 tells us there is one block.”
Model counting slowly:
- Touch the block.
- Say, “One.”
- Stop counting.
Quick check: Show one object and ask, “How many?” Help the child answer, “One.”
2. We Do: Find One
Time: 8 minutes
Place several small groups of objects nearby. For example, place one block in one group, two blocks in another group, and three blocks in another group.
Say: “Let’s find the group with one object.”
Help the child touch each group and count the objects. Celebrate the group with one object.
Play “Give Me One”:
- Ask, “Can you give me one block?”
- Let the child choose and hand over one block.
- Count it together: “One!”
- Repeat with different objects.
Try these prompts:
- “Give me one toy animal.”
- “Put one button on the paper.”
- “Bring me one book.”
- “Show me one finger.”
Think and talk: “Is one a lot or a little?” Accept answers and explain: “One means just one thing.”
3. We Do: Number 1 Movement Game
Time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to move while practicing one.
Say: “When I say one, do one movement!”
- One clap
- One jump
- One stomp
- One wiggle
- One twirl
Pause after each movement and count aloud together.
Example: “One clap.” Clap once. “We did one clap!”
4. I Do: Draw the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Draw a large number 1 on paper.
Say: “Watch me make a 1. I start at the top and draw one straight line down.”
Trace the number with a finger first. Then trace it with a crayon.
For a sensory option, let the child draw a 1 in:
- Rice or flour on a tray
- Shaving cream
- Sand
- Air with a finger
5. You Do: Make Your Own Number 1
Time: 8–10 minutes
Give the child paper and a crayon.
Instructions:
- Find or circle the number 1 if several numbers are shown.
- Trace a large number 1.
- Try drawing one by yourself.
- Draw one favorite object next to the number 1.
The child might draw one sun, one flower, one person, or one toy.
Ask: “What is your one thing?”
Encourage the child to answer in a sentence: “I drew one ____.”
Real-World Connection: One at a Time
Time: 5 minutes
Look around the home for examples of one.
Search together for:
- One front door
- One table
- One refrigerator
- One favorite stuffed animal
- One nose
Explain: “We use numbers every day. Number 1 helps us talk about one thing.”
Assessment
Formative Checks During the Lesson
- Show the child the number 1 and ask, “What number is this?”
- Place several objects down and ask, “Can you give me one?”
- Ask the child to show one finger.
- Ask the child to count one object.
- Watch whether the child stops counting after one object.
End-of-Lesson Demonstration
Ask the child to complete these four tasks:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Count one object aloud.
- Trace or draw a number 1.
Offer specific feedback:
- “You found the number 1!”
- “You gave me exactly one block.”
- “You touched the object and counted one.”
- “You started at the top and made a straight line.”
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object and one number card at first.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and touch.
- Repeat short phrases: “One toy. One.”
- Allow pointing, showing, or moving an object instead of speaking.
For a Child Ready for More Challenge
- Ask the child to find all the number 1 cards in a group of numbers.
- Ask the child to make a collection of one item in several different ways.
- Invite the child to write the word “one” with help.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Have the child teach a toy how to find one object.
Choice Activity
Let the child choose one activity:
- Make a number 1 collage with one sticker.
- Build one tower with blocks.
- Draw one animal and tell a sentence about it.
- Go on a “find one” hunt around the home.
- Sing a counting song and stop at one.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 3–5 minutes
Show the number 1 again.
Say: “Today we learned about number 1. Number 1 means one thing. We found one object, counted one, moved one time, and practiced drawing 1.”
Invite the child to finish these sentences:
- “This is the number ____.”
- “One means ____ thing.”
- “I can show you one ____.”
End with a celebration: “You did a number 1 job!”
Optional Follow-Up
During the day, ask the child to notice one thing at a time: “Can you bring me one sock?” or “Can you find one red object?” Keep the practice short, playful, and positive.