All About the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon, marker, or pencil
- Small objects such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or snacks
- Number cards or a paper card with the number 1
- Play dough or modeling clay
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the number 1.
- Count one object.
- Trace and try writing the number 1.
- Find groups that have one object.
- Use the word “one” in a real-life example.
Success Criteria
The child is successful when they can:
- Point to the number 1 when asked.
- Give or select one object.
- Make a number 1 with a finger, crayon, or play dough.
- Say, “There is one.”
Introduction: One Special Thing
Hook: Hold up one favorite toy or object.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you show me one finger?”
Invite the child to look around and find one thing. They might find one shoe, one book, or one stuffed animal.
Tell the child: “Today we will learn about the number 1. We will count one thing, make the number 1, and play a number game.”
Body: I Do
1. Meet the Number 1
Show the number card with a large 1.
Say: “This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Place one block beside the number 1.
Say slowly: “One block. I see one block.”
Trace the number in the air with your finger:
- “Start at the top.”
- “Slide down.”
- “Now we have 1!”
2. Count One Object
Place several objects in front of you, but choose only one.
Say: “I will take one button. One.”
Touch the object as you count it. Explain: “I touched it one time, so I counted one.”
Body: We Do
1. Show Me One
Place small groups of objects on the table: one block, two blocks, and three blocks.
Ask:
- “Which group has one block?”
- “Can you point to one?”
- “Can you give me one block?”
Celebrate each attempt: “You found one!” or “Let’s count together. One, two. That group has two.”
2. Make the Number 1
Invite the child to make a number 1 with play dough.
Guide them to roll one long piece and bend or shape it into a 1.
Say: “You made the number 1. Let’s trace it with one finger.”
3. Number 1 Movement Game
Give simple instructions. Each action happens one time:
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Tap your head one time.”
- “Stomp one time.”
Ask: “How many times did we clap?” Encourage the child to answer, “One!”
Body: You Do
1. Number Hunt
Ask the child to look around the learning space and find the number 1 on a book, clock, toy, card, or written paper.
When the child finds it, ask:
- “What number did you find?”
- “Can you touch the number 1?”
- “Can you say ‘one’?”
2. One-Object Challenge
Give the child a small basket or bowl. Ask them to collect one item from each safe group of objects.
For example:
- One block
- One crayon
- One toy animal
Have the child show each item and say, “One block,” “One crayon,” or “One animal.”
3. Practice Writing 1
Write several large dotted number 1s on paper.
Invite the child to:
- Trace each 1 with a finger.
- Trace each 1 with a crayon.
- Try drawing one independently.
Writing does not need to be perfect. Praise effort: “You started at the top and made a number 1!”
Real-World Connection
Look for examples of one during the day:
- One nose
- One sun
- One cup
- One plate
- One bedtime story
Ask: “Can you find one thing in the kitchen?” or “Can you bring me one book?”
Formative Assessment: Quick Checks
Check understanding during the lesson by asking the child to:
- Point to the number 1.
- Hold up one finger.
- Give you one object.
- Choose the group with one object.
- Say how many objects are in a group of one.
If the child is unsure, model the answer and try again together.
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Place three groups of objects in front of the child: one object, two objects, and three objects.
Ask the child to complete these tasks:
- Point to the number 1.
- Point to the group with one object.
- Give you one object.
- Make or draw the number 1.
- Say, “One.”
Suggested goal: The child completes at least four of the five tasks with little or no help.
Differentiation and Choice
For Extra Support
- Use only one or two objects at a time.
- Hold up one finger while saying “one.”
- Use hand-over-hand guidance for tracing if needed.
- Repeat the same activity with familiar toys.
- Give two choices: “Is this one or two?”
For an Extra Challenge
- Ask the child to find five groups of one around the home.
- Ask the child to draw one object beside the number 1.
- Invite the child to make a page with one sun, one flower, or one animal.
- Ask, “What would happen if we added one more?”
Child Choice
Let the child choose one closing activity:
- Build the number 1 with blocks.
- Make the number 1 with play dough.
- Draw one favorite thing.
- Play the one-jump movement game again.
Conclusion: Tell Them What We Learned
Review the lesson with the child:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “How many things does one mean?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing near you?”
Say: “Today we learned that the number 1 means one thing. We found one object, made the number 1, and counted one time.”
End with a cheerful chant:
“One, one, number one! Learning numbers is so much fun!”
Optional Follow-Up Activity
Create a “One Page.” The child draws or glues one object on a sheet of paper and writes or traces the number 1 beside it. Display the page and look for more examples of one during the day.