One Is Fun! Learning the Number 1

Materials Needed

• Paper and crayons
• One large card or piece of paper with the number 1
• Small objects, such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or crackers
• A small basket or bowl
• Play dough or modeling clay
• Optional: music for a movement activity

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the number 1.
• Count one object.
• Show one finger when asked.
• Trace or make the number 1.
• Find examples of “one” in everyday life.

Success Criteria

“I can” statements:

• I can find the number 1.
• I can give you one thing.
• I can show one finger.
• I can try to make a 1.

Introduction: Let’s Find One!

Hook: Hold up one finger and say, “Look! I have one finger up. Can you show me one finger?”

Invite the child to look around the room and find something that comes in a group of one, such as one chair, one window, or one lamp.

Tell the Child

“Today we are learning about the number 1. One means just one. We will count one thing, find the number 1, and make our own 1.”

Body

1. I Do: Meet the Number 1

Show the large number card.

Say slowly:

“This is the number 1. It says one. One means not two—not three—just one.”

Place one toy beside the number card. Touch the toy once and say, “One.”

Trace the number 1 in the air using your finger. Say:

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

Quick Check

• “What number is this?”
• “How many toys are here?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”

Celebrate attempts with encouragement: “You found one!” or “You showed one finger!”

2. We Do: One or More?

Place one object in front of the child. Ask, “How many?” Count it together: “One.”

Next, place two or three objects in front of the child. Ask, “Is this one?” Help the child notice that it is more than one.

Repeat with different objects, using clear groups:

• One block
• Two blocks
• One toy animal
• Three crayons

Think and Talk

Ask:

• “Which group has one?”
• “Can you put one object in the bowl?”
• “What is one thing you like?”

3. Hands-On Game: One-Thing Hunt

Give the child a basket or bowl.

1. Say, “Let’s find one thing.”
2. Let the child choose one safe object from the room.
3. Place it in the basket.
4. Count it together: “One!”
5. Return the object and repeat with a new item.

For a classroom, children may take turns finding one item. For a homeschool setting, the adult and child can search together. For a digital lesson, the child can point to one object on the screen or near the learning space.

4. We Do: Make the Number 1

Use play dough or modeling clay to make a long, straight number 1.

Guide the child to:

1. Roll the dough into a short line.
2. Place it upright.
3. Add a small slanted piece at the top if desired.
4. Say, “This is my 1!”

5. You Do: Number 1 Art

Give the child paper and crayons.

Invite the child to:

1. Trace the number 1 or try to draw it.
2. Draw one favorite thing beside it.
3. Color the picture.

Say, “You made one number 1 and one picture!”

Choice Activity

Let the child choose one activity:

• Move: Do one jump, one clap, or one spin.
• Build: Make a tower with one block.
• Sing: Sing a short counting song and stop at one.
• Sort: Put one toy in each small cup.

Formative Assessment: Check as You Go

Notice whether the child can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Show one finger.
• Give one object when asked.
• Tell the difference between one object and several objects.
• Attempt to trace or create the number 1.

If needed, offer support by holding the child’s hand gently while tracing, using only one object at a time, or repeating the words “one thing.”

Summative Assessment: Show Me One

Ask the child to complete these tasks:

1. Point to the number 1.
2. Show one finger.
3. Put one object in the basket.
4. Circle or color one object on a page.
5. Try to draw or trace a 1.

Success benchmark: The child completes at least four of the five tasks with little or no help.

Differentiation

For Extra Support

• Use large objects that are easy to see and hold.
• Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
• Count slowly while touching the single object.
• Use hand-over-hand guidance for tracing.
• Keep activities short and include movement breaks.

For an Extra Challenge

• Ask the child to find one object in several different rooms.
• Invite the child to make the number 1 using sticks, blocks, or craft materials.
• Ask, “What would happen if we added one more?”
• Have the child draw one person, one animal, or one flower.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Review the number card and say:

“Today we learned about 1. One means just one. We showed one finger, counted one object, and made the number 1.”

Ask the child:

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

End with a cheerful chant:

“One, one, number one! Learning numbers is such fun!”

Optional Real-World Practice

During the day, look for natural examples of one: one shoe, one spoon, one pet, one snack, or one book. Each time, touch the item and say, “One!”