One Wonderful One: Learning the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper with the number 1 written on it
- Small objects to count, such as blocks, toy animals, buttons, or pom-poms
- Paper and crayons or washable markers
- Play dough or modeling clay
- A small bowl or cup
- Optional: music for a short movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize and name the numeral 1.
- Count one object accurately.
- Show one item when asked.
- Trace or make the numeral 1 with help or independently.
- Connect the number 1 to real-life examples.
Success Criteria
“I can say one, show one thing, count one thing, and make the number 1.”
Introduction: Hook and Objectives
Time: 5 minutes
Place one favorite toy in front of the child.
Say: “Look! I see one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to learn about the number 1.”
Invite the child to repeat:
- “One!”
- “I see one!”
- “The number 1!”
Show the large numeral 1 and say, “This is what the number 1 looks like.”
Body: Learning and Practice
1. I Do: Teacher or Adult Demonstration
Time: 5 minutes
Place one block in the bowl.
Say: “I am putting in one block. Let’s count it: one.”
Point to the numeral 1 and say, “The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Demonstrate how to write the number:
- Start at the top.
- Make a straight line down.
Say: “Down we go. This makes a 1.”
Use your finger to trace the number in the air while saying, “Start at the top and go down.”
2. We Do: Count and Find One
Time: 10 minutes
Place several small groups of objects in front of the child. Some groups should have one object, and some should have two or more.
Take turns asking:
- “Which group has one?”
- “Can you give me one block?”
- “Can you put one toy in the bowl?”
- “How many toys are in the bowl?”
Count slowly and touch the object once while saying, “One.”
Think-Pair-Share Option: If another person is available, have the child tell the person, “I found one!” The child can also explain how they know there is one object.
Quick Check: Hold up one finger and ask, “How many fingers do you see?” Then hold up more fingers and ask, “Is this one?”
3. We Do: Number 1 Movement Game
Time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to move in groups of one:
- Take one big jump.
- Clap one time.
- Stomp one foot.
- Spin around one time.
- Touch one object in the room.
Before each action, say, “Show me one!” Celebrate the child’s effort with phrases such as, “You did one clap!”
4. You Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 10 minutes
Offer the child a choice of activities:
- Crayon choice: Trace large number 1s on paper.
- Play dough choice: Roll play dough into a long line and bend it into the shape of 1.
- Finger choice: Trace the number 1 in the air, on the table, or in a tray of rice or flour.
Ask the child to make one number 1 and say, “This is 1.” Provide help by guiding the child’s hand only if needed.
5. Real-World Number Hunt
Time: 5–10 minutes
Look around the home for examples of one.
Ask:
- “Can you find one door?”
- “Can you find one spoon?”
- “Can you bring me one sock?”
- “Can you point to one number 1?”
Let the child choose one object to bring back and explain, “I found one ___.”
Formative Assessment
Observe whether the child can:
- Point to the numeral 1 when shown several numerals.
- Give one object when asked.
- Count one object without counting it more than once.
- Say the word “one.”
- Attempt to form the numeral 1.
If the child is unsure, model the answer and try again with fewer objects.
Summative Assessment: Show Me One
Time: 5 minutes
Place several objects in front of the child and say:
- “Show me one object.”
- “Count it.”
- “Point to the number 1.”
- “Make the number 1 with your finger, crayon, or play dough.”
Successful performance: The child shows one object, counts it as “one,” recognizes the numeral 1, and attempts to make the numeral 1.
Differentiation and Support
For a child who needs more support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Hold the child’s hand lightly while counting and tracing.
- Use large objects and a large written numeral.
- Repeat the same phrases: “One means just one.”
- Celebrate pointing, touching, or saying “one” as progress.
For a child ready for a challenge
- Ask the child to find the numeral 1 in a book, calendar, or package.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Invite the child to draw one object beside the numeral 1.
- Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
- Let the child teach someone else how to show one.
Conclusion: Closure and Recap
Time: 5 minutes
Show the numeral 1 again.
Ask the child:
- “What number is this?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one toy?”
- “How do we make the number 1?”
Say together:
“One means just one. I can find one, count one, and make the number 1!”
End with one clap and say, “You learned about the number 1!”
Optional Follow-Up
During the day, look for more examples of one: one cup, one shoe, one pet, one spoon, or one book. Each time, invite the child to say, “I found one!”