Fun with the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- Number cards, including the number 1
- Small toys, blocks, or household objects
- Paper and stickers, or play dough
- A small basket or bowl
- 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 “one” means a single object.
- Count one object accurately.
- Trace or make the numeral 1 with help or independently.
- Find examples of one object in everyday life.
Success Criteria
“I can…”
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object when asked.
- Say, “This is one.”
- Make or trace a number 1.
Introduction: One Special Thing
Time: 5 minutes
Show the child one favorite toy or object.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to play with the number 1.”
Invite the child to look around and find one thing nearby.
Ask:
- “Can you find one book?”
- “Can you touch one table?”
- “How many noses do you have?”
Celebrate every attempt: “You found one!”
Body of the Lesson
I Do: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Show a large number card with 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. We say ‘one.’ It looks like a straight line.”
Use your finger to trace the number in the air from top to bottom.
Say: “Start at the top and go straight down. That makes a 1.”
Place one object next to the number 1.
Say: “The number 1 tells us there is one object.”
Quick Check: Show the child the number 1 and another number card. Ask, “Which card shows one?” Give praise for pointing, naming, or trying.
We Do: One-Object Hunt
Time: 8 minutes
Place several objects in a basket. Make sure some objects are in groups and some are alone.
Work together to find objects that are by themselves.
- Take out one object.
- Place it on the table.
- Touch it once while saying, “One.”
- Match it with the number card 1.
Say: “One block. One spoon. One teddy bear.”
Let the child choose an object and explain whether it is one object or a group of objects.
Think-Pair-Share Option: If another person is available, the child tells the person what one object they found. For a homeschool activity, the child can tell a stuffed animal, puppet, or caregiver.
We Do: Number 1 Movement Game
Time: 5 minutes
Play music or clap a steady beat. Give the child simple directions that use one action.
- “Take one jump.”
- “Clap one time.”
- “Spin one time.”
- “Touch one toe.”
- “Give one wave.”
After each action, ask, “How many did you do?” Help the child answer, “One.”
Safety Reminder: Use a clear space and choose movements that are comfortable for the child.
You Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 8 minutes
Offer the child a choice of ways to make a 1:
- Trace a large 1 with a crayon.
- Build a 1 with blocks.
- Form a 1 with play dough.
- Draw a 1 in the air.
- Place one sticker on a paper number 1.
Model once, then let the child try.
Helpful words: “Start at the top. Go straight down.”
Do not worry about perfect handwriting. Encourage the child’s effort and control of the writing tool.
You Do: One for Me, One for You
Time: 5 minutes
Place several small objects in front of the child.
Ask the child to give you one object at a time.
Say: “Please give me one block.”
After the child gives one object, say, “Thank you! You gave me one block.” Return the object and try again with a different item.
Then let the child ask you for one object. This gives the child practice using the word “one.”
Real-World Connection
Look for the number 1 during the day. The child might find:
- One front door
- One sun in the sky
- One spoon for snack
- One nose
- One favorite toy
Say: “The number 1 helps us talk about one thing.”
Formative Assessment: Quick Checks
Check understanding during play by asking the child to:
- Point to the number 1.
- Show one finger.
- Give you one toy.
- Choose which group has one object.
- Say the word “one.”
Accept pointing, showing, speaking, or demonstrating as answers.
Summative Assessment: Number 1 Challenge
Time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to complete this short challenge:
- Find the number 1 from two or three number cards.
- Place one object beside it.
- Show one finger.
- Trace or make a number 1.
- Tell an adult one thing they can see.
Success: The child completes most tasks with or without help. Give specific feedback such as, “You found the 1 and matched it with one block.”
Differentiation
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one number card and the number 1.
- Use large, easy-to-hold objects.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing.
- Repeat the same language: “One means just one.”
- Allow pointing, touching, or showing one finger instead of speaking.
For a Child Ready for More
- Ask the child to find three different examples of one.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Invite the child to write the number 1 without tracing.
- Have the child make a page showing the number 1 and one drawing.
- Compare one object with a small group: “Which has one? Which has more?”
Conclusion and Recap
Time: 3 minutes
Hold up the number 1 again.
Ask:
- “What number is this?”
- “What does one mean?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
Say together: “1 means one. One means just one thing!”
End with one celebratory action, such as one clap, one high-five, or one jump.
Optional Follow-Up Activity
Make a “Number 1” page. Write a large number 1 on paper. Let the child decorate it with exactly one sticker, one drawing, or one fingerprint. Ask the child to explain: “This is one.”