All About the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Marker or crayon
- One small toy, block, or stuffed animal
- Number cards or paper cards labeled 1–5
- Small items for counting, such as buttons, cereal pieces, or blocks
- Play dough or clay
- Paper and crayons
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Say that “1” means one thing.
- Count one object correctly.
- Show one object when asked.
- Trace or make the numeral 1 with support.
- Find examples of “one” in everyday life.
Success Criteria
The child is successful when they can:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give the adult one object.
- Count one object using the word “one.”
- Make a mark that looks like or represents the number 1.
- Tell or show one thing they see around them.
Introduction: “One Special Thing”
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one favorite toy or stuffed animal.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you hold up one finger?”
Invite the child to hold up one finger.
Ask:
- “How many toys am I holding?”
- “How many fingers are you holding up?”
- “Can you find one toy near you?”
Tell the child: “Today we will learn about the number 1. We will count one thing, find the number 1, and make the number 1.”
Body of the Lesson
Part 1: I Do — Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Write or display a large numeral 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Place one object beside the numeral 1.
Say: “The number 1 matches one object.”
Point to the numeral and trace it in the air.
Say: “Start at the top. Go straight down. That makes a 1.”
Make the movement slowly while the child watches.
Quick Check: Show the child the cards labeled 1, 2, and 3. Ask, “Which card shows one?”
Part 2: We Do — Count One Together
Time: 7 minutes
Place several small objects in front of the child.
Say: “We only need one. Let’s take one block.”
Move one block away from the group and touch it once.
Say: “One.”
Invite the child to choose one object.
Ask:
- “Can you give me one block?”
- “How many blocks did you give me?”
- “Can you touch one object?”
Repeat with different objects, such as one button, one crayon, and one toy.
Think-Pair-Share Option: If another person is available, the child can show that person one object and say, “I have one.” For homeschool use, the child may tell a stuffed animal or pretend friend.
Part 3: Movement Game — One, Freeze!
Time: 5 minutes
Play music or clap a rhythm. Invite the child to move around the room.
Stop the music or clapping and call out an action:
- “Do one jump!”
- “Clap one time!”
- “Touch one chair!”
- “Give one wave!”
Count aloud while the child completes each action: “One!”
Say: “You did the action one time. One means not two and not three—just one.”
Part 4: We Do — Make the Number 1
Time: 7 minutes
Give the child play dough or clay.
Model making a long, straight shape.
Say: “Let’s make a number 1. We can roll one long snake of play dough. Now we can stand it up like a 1.”
Make the number together.
Next, draw a large number 1 on paper. Invite the child to:
- Trace the number with a finger.
- Trace it with a crayon.
- Decorate it with one sticker or one dot.
Encouraging language: “You started at the top and moved down. You are making a number 1.”
Part 5: You Do — Find One
Time: 8 minutes
Invite the child to look around the room and find things that come in groups of one.
Say: “Let’s go on a one hunt! Find one thing.”
The child may find:
- One pillow
- One book
- One spoon
- One shoe
- One stuffed animal
Each time the child finds an item, ask them to touch it and say, “One.”
Choice: The child may choose to find one object, draw one object, or build one tower block.
Part 6: Creative Activity — One Big Picture
Time: 8 minutes
Ask the child to make a picture showing one thing.
Choices:
- Draw one sun.
- Draw one flower.
- Draw one animal.
- Draw one person.
- Make one object with play dough.
Help the child write or trace the number 1 on the picture.
Ask: “What is your one thing?”
Encourage a complete response such as, “I drew one cat.”
Formative Assessment
Use these quick checks throughout the lesson:
- Show cards 1–3 and ask the child to point to 1.
- Place two or three objects nearby and ask the child to give you one.
- Ask the child to hold up one finger.
- Ask the child to do one jump or one clap.
- Ask, “How many?” after the child selects one item.
Summative Assessment: Show Me One
Time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to complete each task:
- Point to the numeral 1.
- Give the adult one object.
- Count the object by saying, “One.”
- Hold up one finger.
- Trace or make the numeral 1.
- Find one item in the room.
Suggested feedback:
- “You found the number 1!”
- “You gave me exactly one block.”
- “You counted carefully.”
- “Your number 1 goes from the top down.”
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object at a time.
- Use large, easy-to-hold objects.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing the number 1.
- Repeat the same language: “One means just one.”
- Use a large numeral 1 with a starting dot at the top.
- Allow the child to answer by pointing, touching, or showing one finger.
For a Child Ready for More Challenge
- Ask the child to find the number 1 in a book or on a calendar.
- Ask the child to compare one object with two objects.
- Invite the child to make a group containing one item and a group containing more than one item.
- Ask the child to draw several pictures, each showing one object.
- Invite the child to write the number 1 independently.
Real-World Connection
Talk about things people use or see one at a time:
- One nose
- One mouth
- One moon in the sky
- One steering wheel in a car
- One spoon for a snack
Ask: “Can you find one thing during snack time, bath time, or bedtime?”
Conclusion and Recap
Time: 3 minutes
Display the numeral 1 again.
Say: “Today we learned about the number 1. The number 1 means one thing. We counted one, showed one, moved one time, and made the number 1.”
Ask the child:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you tell me one thing you found?”
End with a short chant:
“One, one, number one!
One small thing can be lots of fun!”
Optional Follow-Up Activities
- Look for the number 1 on signs, books, clocks, or calendars.
- Place one snack item on a plate and count it.
- Build a tower with one block.
- Sing a counting song and stop at one.
- Take a “one picture” walk and draw one thing seen outside.