Fun with the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- One small toy or household object
- Several safe objects for counting
- Paper and stickers, or play dough
- Optional: number cards or a tablet drawing app
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Count one object correctly.
- Match the numeral 1 to a group with one object.
- Trace or make the shape of the numeral 1.
- Find examples of “one” in everyday life.
Success Looks Like
- “I can show one thing.”
- “I can find the number 1.”
- “I can make a number 1.”
- “I can say, ‘There is one.’”
Introduction: One Special Thing
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one toy or object.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to play and learn about the number 1.”
Invite the child to look around the room and find something that comes in a group of one.
- One nose
- One sun in the sky
- One pillow
- One favorite toy
Think and talk: “What is one thing you can see?”
Body: I Do — Show the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Write a large numeral 1 on paper or a whiteboard.
Say: “This is the number 1. It tells us there is one thing.”
Model counting one object:
- Place one object on the table.
- Touch it once.
- Say slowly, “One.”
- Show the numeral 1.
Say: “I see one ball. One ball matches the number 1.”
Model how to write the number:
Say: “Start at the top. Go down. This makes a number 1.”
Body: We Do — Find One
Time: 8 minutes
Place small groups of objects on the table. Include groups with one, two, and three objects.
Instructions:
- Look at one group of objects.
- Touch each object while counting.
- Decide whether the group has one object.
- Put the number 1 next to the group with one object.
Ask:
- “Which group has one?”
- “How many objects do you see?”
- “Can you touch the one object?”
Movement game: Give simple directions:
- “Take one jump.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Touch one toy.”
- “Hold up one finger.”
After each action, ask, “How many did you do?” Encourage the child to answer, “One!”
Body: You Do — Make the Number 1
Time: 10 minutes
Choice A: Trace and Draw
Write several large dotted numbers 1 on paper.
Instructions: “Start at the top and follow the line down with your finger or crayon.”
Invite the child to make one number independently.
Choice B: Build with Play Dough
Help the child roll play dough into a long piece and shape it into the number 1.
Say: “You made a number 1! Can you make one more?”
Choice C: Sticker Number 1
Draw a large number 1. Let the child place stickers along the number.
Count a small number of stickers together, focusing on the idea that the page shows one number 1.
Real-World Number Hunt
Time: 5–10 minutes
Walk through the home or look at a book together. Search for the number 1 or things that come in ones.
Possible examples include:
- A number 1 on a clock, page, or calendar
- One door
- One spoon
- One pet
- One person wearing a hat
Let the child choose what to search for. Each time the child finds one, say, “You found one! One matches the number 1.”
Formative Checks
Use these quick checks during the lesson:
- Show the child the numerals 1, 2, and 3. Ask, “Which one is 1?”
- Place one object in front of the child. Ask, “How many?”
- Ask the child to give you one object.
- Ask the child to hold up one finger.
- Ask, “Can you make a number 1 with your finger in the air?”
Summative Activity: My Number 1 Show-and-Tell
Time: 5 minutes
Ask the child to choose one object and present it.
Prompt: “Show me your object. Tell me how many you have.”
Encourage the child to say:
“I have one _____. One is the number 1.”
For a digital option, the child may show the object on a video call or draw it in a drawing app.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 3 minutes
Hold up the numeral 1 and review:
- “What number is this?”
- “How many objects does 1 mean?”
- “Show me one finger.”
- “Can you make the number 1 in the air?”
Closing chant:
“One, one, number one!
One little clap, and now we’re done!”
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Guide the child’s hand while counting and tracing.
- Repeat the same words: “One means just one.”
- Use large objects and a large written numeral.
- Offer choices: “Is this 1 or 2?”
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to draw one object next to the numeral 1.
- Invite the child to find the number 1 in a book or on a calendar.
- Ask, “Can you make a group with one red object and one blue object?”
- Compare one and more: “Which group has one? Which group has more?”
- Practice writing the numeral 1 without tracing.
Family Extension
Throughout the day, look for “one” during ordinary activities. Ask:
- “Can you bring me one sock?”
- “How many cups do you have?”
- “Can you place one book on the table?”
- “What is one thing you enjoyed today?”