Number 1: One Special Thing

Materials Needed

• Large paper or a whiteboard
• Crayon or washable marker
• Small objects such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or pom-poms
• Number cards showing 1 and other numbers
• 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.
• Show one object when asked.
• Trace or attempt to write the number 1.
• Use the word “one” in a sentence.

Success Criteria

I can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Give you one object.
• Say, “One!” when I see one thing.
• Make a number 1 with my finger, crayon, or body.

Introduction: One Big Surprise

Hook: Hide one favorite toy under a cloth. Ask, “What do you think is hiding here?” Reveal the toy and say, “Look! We found one toy.”

Show the numeral 1 and say:

“This is the number 1. Number 1 means one thing.”

Tell the child:

“Today we will look for one, count one, and make the number 1.”

Body

1. I Do: Meet the Number 1

Draw a large number 1 slowly while saying:

“Start at the top. Go straight down. This makes 1.”

Place one block beside the numeral 1. Touch the block once and count:

“One block.”

Repeat with one toy animal, one crayon, and one button. Emphasize that the group has only one item each time.

Quick Check: Ask, “How many blocks are here?” Encourage the child to touch the block while saying, “One.”

2. We Do: Find One

Place several small groups of objects in front of the child. Some groups should have one object, and others should have two or three.

Take turns finding a group with one object.

1. Look at a group.
2. Touch each object.
3. Count slowly.
4. Decide whether there is one object.

Use simple questions:

• “Can you find one block?”
• “Which group has one toy?”
• “Can you give me one button?”

Think-and-Talk: Ask, “What is one thing you like?” The child may answer, “One teddy bear,” “One cookie,” or another idea.

3. We Do: Make the Number 1

Use a finger to trace the large number 1 on paper. Invite the child to trace over it.

Say the steps together:

“Start at the top. Go straight down. That is 1!”

Next, make a number 1 using one of these choices:

• Draw it with a crayon.
• Build it with one long block or craft stick.
• Make it with a finger in the air.
• Make it with the child’s body by standing straight.

4. You Do: One Treasure Hunt

Invite the child to find items around the home. The child may choose three or four places to explore.

For each place, give one clear direction:

“Find one safe thing in the room.”

After each discovery, ask the child to say:

“I found one ___.”

Examples include:

• One sock
• One book
• One spoon
• One toy

Let the child choose whether to draw the item, describe it, or bring it to a special “number 1” spot.

5. Movement Game: One, Two, Freeze

Play music or clap a rhythm. Give movement directions:

• “Take one jump.”
• “Clap one time.”
• “Turn around one time.”
• “Touch one toe.”

After each action, ask, “How many did you do?” The child answers, “One.”

Formative Assessment

Check understanding during the lesson by asking the child to:

• Point to the numeral 1 among two or three number cards.
• Hand over one object.
• Count one object without adding another.
• Show one finger.
• Trace the number 1.

Give specific feedback:

• “You gave me exactly one block.”
• “You started at the top and went down.”
• “You counted carefully and stopped at one.”

Summative Assessment: Show Me One

Place several objects and number cards nearby. Ask the child to complete the following tasks:

1. “Show me the number 1.”
2. “Give me one object.”
3. “Show me one finger.”
4. “Draw or trace a number 1.”
5. “Tell me one thing you found today.”

Goal: The child completes at least four of the five tasks with growing independence.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Gather the materials together and hold up the numeral 1.

Say:

“Today we learned about number 1. Number 1 means one thing. We found one, counted one, and made a number 1.”

Invite the child to finish these sentences:

• “One means _____.”
• “I found one _____.”
• “I can make number _____.”

End with a celebration: Give one high-five and say, “One amazing learner!”

Differentiation and Adaptations

For Extra Support

• Use only one object and the numeral 1 at first.
• Guide the child’s hand while counting or tracing.
• Use large, easy-to-hold objects.
• Repeat the same language: “One means just one.”
• Allow pointing, showing, or moving instead of speaking.

For More Challenge

• Ask the child to find groups with one object among groups of two, three, and four.
• Invite the child to write the number 1 independently.
• Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
• Have the child draw one object and label it with the numeral 1.
• Look for the number 1 in books, signs, calendars, or packaging.

Optional Follow-Up Activity

Create a “Number 1” page. The child draws one favorite thing, glues one paper shape onto the page, or makes one handprint. Write the sentence:

“I have one ______.”