Number 1 Adventure: One Special Thing

Materials Needed

• One large paper or paper plate
• Crayon or washable marker
• Small safe objects, such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons
• Number cards or handwritten cards showing the number 1
• Play dough or modeling clay
• Optional: a picture book about counting

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Count one object using the words “one” and “1.”
• Make or trace the numeral 1.
• Find examples of one object in everyday life.
• Explain that “one” means a single object.

Success Criteria

Success looks like this:

• The child points to the number 1 when asked.
• The child gives exactly one object.
• The child says, “One!” while touching one object.
• The child attempts to draw, build, or trace the number 1.

Introduction: The One-Object Hunt

Time: 5 minutes

Hook: Hold up one favorite toy or object and say:

“Look! I have one teddy bear. Can you find one special thing?”

1. Invite the child to find one object nearby.
2. Help the child hold it up and say, “I found one!”
3. Point to the object and touch it once while saying, “One.”
4. Show the numeral 1 and say, “This is how we write one. It is called the number 1.”

Tell the child: “Today we will learn about one. We will find one thing, count one thing, and make the number 1.”

Body: Learn and Practice

Part 1: I Do—Counting One

Time: 5 minutes

1. Place several objects on the table.
2. Pick up only one object.
3. Touch it and say slowly, “One.”
4. Place it beside the number card 1.
5. Repeat with different objects, such as one block, one spoon, or one toy animal.

Say:

• “I have one block.”
• “One means just one.”
• “The number 1 tells us how many.”

Quick check: Place two objects in front of the child and ask, “Can you give me one?” Praise the child for choosing exactly one object.

Part 2: We Do—One or More?

Time: 7 minutes

Play a sorting game together.

1. Make two spaces on the table: one labeled ONE and one labeled MORE.
2. Show the child one object. Ask, “Is this one or more?”
3. Place it in the correct space together.
4. Show two or three objects. Ask the same question.
5. Continue using different groups of objects.

Think and talk:

• “How many blocks do we have?”
• “Can you touch one block?”
• “Which group has one?”
• “Can you make a group with one toy?”

Movement option: Say, “Show me one jump!” Then invite the child to do one jump, one clap, one spin, or one stomp.

Part 3: We Do—Make the Number 1

Time: 7 minutes

1. Trace the number 1 in the air with your finger.
2. Say, “Start at the top. Go down.”
3. Invite the child to trace the number 1 in the air.
4. Make the number 1 using play dough.
5. Trace or draw the number 1 on paper.

Use simple language:

“The number 1 is a straight line. It goes from the top down.”

Choice: The child may choose one way to make the number 1:

• Draw it with a crayon.
• Build it with play dough.
• Trace it with a finger.
• Make it using blocks or craft sticks.

Part 4: You Do—My Number 1 Collection

Time: 8 minutes

Invite the child to create a “Number 1 Collection.”

1. Ask the child to choose one safe object from the room.
2. Place the object on the paper.
3. Help the child draw the number 1 next to it.
4. Ask the child to say, “I have one ______.”
5. Repeat with a different object if desired, always choosing one object at a time.

Examples include:

• “I have one spoon.”
• “I have one red block.”
• “I have one sock.”
• “I have one toy car.”

Real-world connection: Look around the home for things that come in ones, such as one front door, one nose, one sun, or one television remote.

Formative Assessment

Check understanding during the activities by asking the child to:

• Point to the number 1.
• Give you one object.
• Count one object by touching it once.
• Show one finger.
• Tell whether a group has one object or more than one.

Give specific feedback:

• “You gave me exactly one block.”
• “You touched the object one time while you counted.”
• “You started at the top and made a straight line for 1.”

Summative Assessment: Show Me One

Time: 5 minutes

Invite the child to complete these four tasks:

1. Point to the numeral 1.
2. Give you one object from a group.
3. Show one finger and say, “One.”
4. Draw, trace, build, or make the numeral 1.

The child is successful when they complete most tasks with little or no help. Continue practicing naturally if the child needs more support.

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only two choices: one object and two objects.
• Guide the child’s hand as they touch and count one object.
• Use large objects and a large number card.
• Repeat the same words: “One means one thing.”
• Allow pointing, showing a finger, or choosing an object instead of speaking.

For a Child Ready for a Challenge

• Ask the child to find one object in several different rooms.
• Ask the child to draw one object and write the number 1 beside it.
• Compare one object with a group of more than one object.
• Ask, “What would happen if we added one more?”
• Invite the child to teach someone else how to find one.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 3 minutes

1. Hold up the number card and ask, “What number is this?”
2. Ask the child to show one finger.
3. Have the child name one thing they found.
4. Say together: “One means just one. The number 1 shows one.”

Closing chant:

“One little finger, one little toe, one is the number we now know!”

Optional Follow-Up Activities

• Read a counting book and look for pages showing one object.
• Play “Bring Me One,” asking the child to bring one safe household item.
• Place a number 1 card near one item during snack time.
• Sing a song that includes the number one.
• Take a short walk and look for one bird, one flower, or one stop sign.

Lesson Reflection for the Adult

• Could the child recognize the number 1?
• Could the child give exactly one object?
• Which activity held the child’s attention best?
• What should be practiced again during daily routines?