One Is Fun! Learning the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- One small toy, block, or stuffed animal
- Several small objects, such as buttons, pom-poms, or blocks
- Paper with a large number 1 written on it
- Play dough or modeling clay
- Optional: a short counting song or timer
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the number 1.
- Say the number 1.
- Show one object when asked.
- Practice making the shape of the number 1.
- Connect the number 1 to everyday experiences.
Success Criteria
I can:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Say, “One!”
- Make a number 1 with my finger, play dough, or crayon.
Introduction: One Special Thing
Time: 5 minutes
Place one favorite toy in front of the child.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you say, ‘One’?”
Invite the child to touch the toy while saying “one.” Explain that the number 1 tells us there is one thing.
Hook: Ask, “Can you find one nose? Can you find one belly button? Can you show me one finger?”
Tell the child:
“Today we will learn about the number 1. We will find one thing, say one, and make a number 1.”
Body: I Do
Teacher or Adult Demonstration: Meet Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
- Show the child the large number 1.
- Trace the number slowly with your finger.
- Say, “This is the number 1. It says one.”
- Hold up one finger and say, “One finger.”
- Place one object beside the number 1.
Talking points:
- “This is a number 1.”
- “The number 1 means one thing.”
- “I see one block.”
- “I am holding up one finger.”
Quick Check: Ask, “Which one is the number 1?” Let the child point to it. Celebrate effort with specific feedback: “You found the number 1!”
Body: We Do
Activity 1: Find One
Time: 7 minutes
Place several groups of objects nearby. Make groups containing one, two, and three objects.
Instructions:
- Ask the child to find the group with one object.
- Have the child touch the object and say, “One.”
- Repeat with different objects, such as one spoon, one block, or one sock.
- Invite the child to look around the room for one safe item.
Ask:
- “Can you find one block?”
- “How many toys should you pick up if I say one?”
- “Can you bring me one book?”
Think-and-Share: Let the child name one thing they found. If working with more than one learner, children can take turns showing their one object.
Activity 2: Number 1 Movement Game
Time: 5 minutes
Give simple directions that include the number 1.
- Take one jump.
- Clap one time.
- Spin one time.
- Touch one toe.
- Give one high-five.
Pause after each direction and ask, “How many did we do?” Help the child answer, “One!”
Transition: “Our bodies showed one. Now our fingers will make one.”
Body: You Do
Activity 3: Make the Number 1
Time: 8 minutes
Offer the child a choice of ways to make the number 1:
- Trace a large number 1 with a finger.
- Build a number 1 with play dough.
- Draw a number 1 with a crayon.
- Make a number 1 using blocks or craft sticks.
Model the strokes:
- “Start at the top.”
- “Go down.”
- “Now we have a number 1!”
Allow the child to try several times. Do not require perfect handwriting. Praise the process: “You started at the top and made a long line. That looks like a number 1!”
Activity 4: One Treasure Hunt
Time: 7 minutes
Invite the child to choose one safe category for a mini treasure hunt:
- One red object
- One soft object
- One round object
- One toy
- One book
Instructions:
- Choose one category.
- Find one matching object.
- Bring it to the learning space.
- Say, “I found one ____.”
Real-world connection: Explain, “We use one every day. We may have one bed, one favorite toy, or one nose.”
Formative Assessment: Show Me One
Time: 3 minutes
Give the child several objects and ask them to complete each task:
- “Give me one object.”
- “Show me one finger.”
- “Point to the number 1.”
- “Make one clap.”
- “Tell me what one means.”
Accept answers such as “just one,” “not two,” or “one thing.” If the child needs help, demonstrate once and invite another try.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 5 minutes
Show the number 1 and one object again.
Say: “Today we learned that the number 1 means one thing. We found one, moved one time, and made a number 1.”
Ask the child:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing to hold?”
- “Can you draw or trace a number 1?”
Finish with a short chant:
“One, one, number 1!
One small step, and learning’s fun!”
Summative Assessment
The child demonstrates learning by completing at least three of the following:
- Identifies the written number 1.
- Says the word “one.”
- Hands over exactly one object.
- Shows one finger.
- Makes a recognizable number 1 using drawing, play dough, blocks, or tracing.
Differentiation and Support
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object and one group of two objects at first.
- Guide the child’s hand while counting one object.
- Use large materials that are easy to see and touch.
- Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
- Let the child answer by pointing, moving, or showing a finger instead of speaking.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find the number 1 in a book or on a calendar.
- Invite the child to draw one object beside the number 1.
- Compare one with more: “Which group has one? Which group has more?”
- Ask the child to make a page showing one sun, one flower, or one animal.
Optional Follow-Up
During the day, point out examples of one: one cup, one door, one pet, or one spoon. Each time, invite the child to say, “One!”