All About the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or whiteboard
- Marker or crayon
- Number cards, including the number 1
- Small objects to count, such as blocks, buttons, or toy animals
- Play dough or modeling clay
- Paper and crayons
- One favorite toy or stuffed animal
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Count one object correctly.
- Show one object when asked.
- Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
- Connect the number 1 to real-life examples.
Success Criteria
Success looks like this:
- “I can point to the number 1.”
- “I can give you one thing.”
- “I can make a number 1.”
- “I can tell you about something I have one of.”
Introduction: The Number 1 Is Ready for Fun
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one favorite toy or stuffed animal.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one.”
Show the numeral 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. Today we will learn about one!”
Ask:
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “How many noses do you have?”
- “Can you find one toy near you?”
Learning goal for the child: “Today I will learn to find, count, and make the number 1.”
Body of the Lesson
1. I Do: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Draw a large number 1 on paper or a whiteboard.
Say: “The number 1 looks like a straight line. It can look like this: 1.”
Point to one object beside the numeral.
Say: “The number 1 tells us there is one object.”
Model counting slowly:
Say: “One block. I counted one block.”
Place several objects in front of the child. Move all but one aside.
Say: “I want one block. I take only one.”
Quick check: Ask, “How many blocks are here?” The child should answer or show “one.”
2. We Do: Find One
Time: 8 minutes
Place small groups of objects in different spots. Some groups should have one object, and some should have two or three.
Instructions:
- Say, “Let’s find the group with one object.”
- Let the child point to a group.
- Count the objects together.
- Celebrate correct answers with a high five or happy clap.
Use simple talking points:
- “This group has one.”
- “This group has more than one.”
- “Let’s touch and count.”
- “One means just one.”
Think-and-share: Ask the child to find one item in the room, such as one book, one shoe, or one pillow.
3. Movement Game: One, Freeze!
Time: 5 minutes
Play music or clap a rhythm while the child moves safely.
When the music stops, call out an action:
- “Do one jump!”
- “Clap one time!”
- “Turn around one time!”
- “Touch one toe!”
Count the action together. Keep the game playful and allow the child to suggest one-action challenges for the adult.
4. We Do: Build the Number 1
Time: 7 minutes
Use play dough to make the number 1.
Step-by-step:
- Roll the play dough into one long “snake.”
- Stand it up straight.
- Make a small slanted piece at the top if desired.
- Say, “We made the number 1!”
The child may also build a large 1 using blocks, craft sticks, or fingers.
Choice: The child may choose to make one large number 1 or make one number 1 with play dough and one with blocks.
5. I Do, Then You Do: Trace and Write 1
Time: 7 minutes
Model how to make the numeral 1:
Say: “Start at the top. Go down. That makes 1.”
Draw several large dotted number 1s for the child to trace. Then invite the child to try making a number 1 independently.
Use gentle guidance:
- “Start at the top.”
- “Move your crayon down.”
- “You made a 1!”
Perfection is not required. Praise effort, direction, and recognition.
6. You Do: One-Item Picture
Time: 8 minutes
Give the child paper and crayons.
Instructions: “Draw one thing. You can draw one sun, one flower, one animal, or one toy.”
Help the child write or copy the number 1 beside the picture.
Ask:
- “What did you draw?”
- “How many did you draw?”
- “Can you point to your number 1?”
Real-World Connection
Walk around the home and look for things that come in ones.
Possible examples include:
- One front door
- One refrigerator
- One nose
- One moon in a simple picture
- One favorite toy
Say: “We see the number 1 in our real world. One means one thing.”
Formative Assessment: Show Me One
Ask the child to complete these quick tasks:
- Point to the number 1 among two or three number cards.
- Give you one block.
- Show one finger.
- Circle one object on a page or table.
- Make or trace a number 1.
Give specific feedback:
- “You found the number 1.”
- “You gave me exactly one block.”
- “You started at the top and made a 1.”
Summative Assessment: The Number 1 Challenge
Invite the child to complete the challenge independently:
- Find the number 1.
- Collect one object.
- Count it aloud: “One.”
- Make a number 1 with a crayon, play dough, or blocks.
- Tell the adult one thing they learned.
Suggested benchmark: The child completes at least four of the five tasks with little or no help.
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only two choices at a time: one object and a group of two objects.
- Use large objects and large number cards.
- Guide the child’s hand while counting or tracing.
- Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
- Allow pointing, showing fingers, or using objects instead of speaking.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find the number 1 in a book or around the home.
- Compare one object with groups of two, three, or more.
- Ask the child to write several number 1s.
- Invite the child to create a short story about one character or one animal.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?” and explore the number 2.
Conclusion and Recap
Time: 3 minutes
Hold up the number 1 and one object.
Ask:
- “What number is this?”
- “How many objects do I have?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Where did we see one today?”
Recap together: “Today we learned that 1 means one. We found one, counted one, moved one time, and made the number 1.”
End with a cheerful chant:
“One, one, number one! Learning numbers is fun!”
Optional Follow-Up Activity
During the day, invite the child to find and photograph, draw, or point to five examples of one. For example: one spoon, one sock, one book, one chair, and one toy.