Fun with the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- Number cards, including the number 1
- Small objects such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or pom-poms
- One favorite toy
- Play dough
- Paper and crayons
- Optional: music for a short movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Count one object accurately.
- Show a group of one object.
- Trace or attempt to write the numeral 1.
- Find examples of “one” in everyday life.
Success Criteria
Success looks like this:
- “I can point to the number 1.”
- “I can give you one thing.”
- “I can count one object: 1.”
- “I can make or trace a number 1.”
Introduction: What Is One?
Hook: Hold up one favorite toy and say, “Look! I have one toy. Can you show me one finger?”
Invite the child to hold up one finger. Say:
“Today we are learning about the number 1. One means just one thing. One toy, one nose, and one sun!”
Ask:
- “How many toys am I holding?”
- “How many noses do you have?”
- “Can you find one thing in the room?”
Body of the Lesson
I Do: Teacher or Parent Demonstration
1. Show the Numeral
Show a large number card with 1 on it.
Say:
“This is the number 1. It says ‘one.’ One looks like a straight line.”
Trace the number slowly with your finger while saying:
“Start at the top and go straight down. That makes a 1.”
2. Count One Object
Place one block on the table. Touch it once and say:
“One block. I touched it one time, so there is one block.”
Place several blocks beside it and separate one block from the group. Say:
“Here are many blocks. I can take just one block.”
Quick Check
Ask the child to show one finger and say “one.” Notice whether the child can connect the spoken word, the finger, and the numeral.
We Do: Learn and Play Together
Activity 1: Find One
Invite the child to look around the room and find objects that come in groups of one.
Use simple examples such as:
- One door
- One table
- One favorite toy
- One nose
- One sun in the sky
Each time the child finds something, ask, “How many?” Help the child answer, “One.”
Activity 2: Give Me One
Place several small objects in front of the child. Give these instructions one at a time:
- “Give me one block.”
- “Put one pom-pom in the cup.”
- “Choose one toy animal.”
- “Place one button on the paper.”
Celebrate careful counting by saying, “You gave me one! You counted carefully.”
Activity 3: Number 1 Movement Game
Play music or clap a steady beat. Give the child movement directions:
- “Do one jump.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Turn around one time.”
- “Touch one toe.”
Pause often and ask, “How many did we do?”
You Do: Child Practices Independently
Choice Activity
Let the child choose one activity:
Choice A: Make the Number 1
Invite the child to make a large number 1 using play dough. The child may roll one long piece and place it on a table or paper in the shape of 1.
Choice B: Draw One
Ask the child to draw one favorite object, such as one balloon, one flower, or one apple. Help the child write or trace the number 1 next to the drawing.
Choice C: Number Hunt
Look through books, labels, or a calendar. Ask the child to find and point to the number 1.
Choice D: One-to-One Basket
Give the child a small basket and several objects. Ask the child to put exactly one object into each of several spaces, cups, or bowls.
Formative Assessment
Check understanding during the activities by asking:
- “Which card shows the number 1?”
- “Can you give me one object?”
- “How many blocks are in your hand?”
- “Can you show one finger?”
- “Can you trace the number 1?”
Give specific feedback:
- “You chose exactly one block.”
- “You touched the object one time while counting.”
- “You started at the top when you made your 1.”
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Ask the child to complete these four tasks:
- Point to the numeral 1 from a group of three numerals.
- Give the adult one object.
- Count one object aloud.
- Trace, build, or draw the numeral 1.
The child does not need to complete every task perfectly. Look for an emerging understanding that the word “one,” one object, one finger, and the numeral 1 are connected.
Conclusion and Recap
Gather the materials together and hold up one object.
Say:
“Today we learned about the number 1. One means just one. We found one object, counted one object, and practiced making the number 1.”
Invite the child to finish these sentences:
- “One means…”
- “I can show one with my…”
- “I found one…”
End with a cheerful chant:
“One, one, one—learning numbers is fun!”
Differentiation and Adaptations
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Guide the child’s hand as they touch and count the object.
- Use a large, colorful numeral 1.
- Focus on showing one finger before asking the child to identify the written numeral.
- Repeat the same activities on different days.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
- Invite the child to find the numeral 1 in a book or on a calendar.
- Ask the child to make a set of one object and label it with the numeral 1.
- Challenge the child to find five different examples of “one” at home.
Flexible Learning Options
- Homeschool: Use household objects and take a short “number 1” hunt around the home.
- Classroom: Have children work in pairs, taking turns giving and receiving one object.
- Digital: Display a large numeral 1 on a screen and have the child point, count, clap, or draw it in the air.
- Outdoor: Find one leaf, one rock, or one flower, without picking living plants.
Optional Follow-Up
Throughout the day, point out examples of one: one cup, one shoe, one book, or one bedtime story. Ask, “How many?” and encourage the child to answer, “One.”