All About the Number 1

Materials Needed

• Paper and crayons
• One small toy or object
• Several small objects, such as blocks, buttons, or pom-poms
• Number cards or a paper with the number 1 written on it
• Play dough or modeling clay
• A small basket or bowl

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Say the number “one.”
• Count one object correctly.
• Make or trace the shape of the number 1.
• Find examples of “one” in everyday life.

Success Criteria

Success looks like this:

• “I can point to the number 1.”
• “I can show one object.”
• “I can say one when I count.”
• “I can make a number 1 with my finger, crayon, or play dough.”

Introduction: One Special Thing

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.”

Tell the child what they will learn:

“We will find one thing, count one thing, and make the number 1.”

Body: Learn and Practice

I Do: Teacher or Adult Demonstration

1. Place one object in front of the child.
2. Touch the object and say slowly, “One.”
3. Show the numeral 1 and say, “This is the number 1. It tells us there is one.”
4. Trace the number 1 in the air with your finger while saying, “Start at the top and go straight down.”
5. Show one finger and say, “One finger.”

Quick check: Ask, “How many toys do I have?” Encourage the child to answer, “One.”

We Do: Explore Together

Activity 1: Find One

Invite the child to look around the room and find one item.

1. Say, “Can you find one book?”
2. Let the child choose an item.
3. Count it together by touching it once: “One.”
4. Repeat with choices such as one sock, one block, or one spoon.

Use simple questions:

• “How many did you find?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you bring me one block?”

Activity 2: One or Not One?

Place different groups of objects in front of the child: one block, two blocks, and three blocks.

Ask the child to point to the group that has one object. Count each group together.

Think and talk: Ask, “Which group has one? How do you know?”

Activity 3: Make the Number 1

Invite the child to choose one way to make the number 1:

• Trace it with a finger in the air.
• Trace it on paper with a crayon.
• Build it with play dough.
• Make it with one long block or craft stick.

Say the steps together:

“Start at the top. Go straight down. That makes 1!”

You Do: Child’s Choice Challenge

Let the child choose one challenge:

• Art Choice: Draw one sun, one flower, or one person.
• Building Choice: Build a tower with one block.
• Movement Choice: Do one jump, one clap, or one spin.
• Treasure Hunt Choice: Find one safe object in the room.

After the child completes the challenge, ask:

“What did you make or find? How many are there?”

Real-World Connection

Talk about things that come in ones:

• One nose
• One moon in the sky
• One sun
• One favorite toy
• One child or grown-up

Invite the child to name another thing they have one of.

Formative Assessment: Show Me One

Give the child these short tasks:

1. “Point to the number 1.”
2. “Give me one object.”
3. “Show me one finger.”
4. “Count this object.”
5. “Make a number 1.”

Give specific feedback:

• “You gave me exactly one block.”
• “You touched the object one time while counting.”
• “Your number 1 starts at the top and goes down.”

Summative Assessment: Number 1 Demonstration

Ask the child to complete the following independently, with help only if needed:

1. Find and point to the numeral 1.
2. Place one object in a basket.
3. Say, “One.”
4. Draw, trace, build, or form the number 1.

Simple evaluation:

• Beginning: Needs frequent help to recognize or show one.
• Developing: Recognizes or shows one with some reminders.
• Ready: Recognizes 1, shows one object, counts one, and makes the numeral with little or no help.

Differentiation

For Extra Support

• Use only one object and one number card at a time.
• Give hand-over-hand help when tracing the number.
• Use repeated phrases such as, “One means just one.”
• Let the child respond by pointing, moving, or showing a finger instead of speaking.

For More Practice

• Ask the child to sort groups into “one” and “not one.”
• Look for the number 1 in books, signs, or calendars.
• Ask the child to make a page with one object in each drawing.

For an Extra Challenge

• Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
• Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
• Invite the child to find the numeral 1 in a storybook or on a keyboard.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Review the lesson by saying:

“Today we learned about the number 1. One means just one thing. We can show one with one finger, count one object, and make the numeral 1.”

Ask the child:

• “What number did we learn?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you find one thing near you?”

Finish with one clap and say:

“One big clap for learning about 1!”

Optional Follow-Up

During the day, look for the number 1 and examples of one. Say, “I see one cup,” “You have one nose,” or “There is the number 1.”