All About Number 1!

Materials Needed

• Large paper or a whiteboard
• Crayon or washable marker
• Number cards or a paper with the number 1
• Small objects, such as blocks, toy animals, buttons, or crackers
• Play dough
• One favorite toy or stuffed animal
• Optional: music for a counting song

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Show a group with one object.
• Count one object using the word “one.”
• Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
• Find examples of “one” in everyday life.

Success Criteria

I can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Give you one object.
• Say, “This is one.”
• Make a number 1 with a finger, crayon, or play dough.

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. Today we are learning about the number 1!”

Invite the child to repeat:

“One means just one!”

Ask:

• “How many toys do you see?”
• “Can you touch the one toy?”
• “Can you hold up one finger?”

Body of the Lesson

I Do: Meet the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Show the child a large numeral 1.

Say: “This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”

Model counting one object slowly:

1. Touch one block.
2. Say, “One.”
3. Move the block slightly to show that it has been counted.

Say: “I touched one block. I counted one block.”

Use your finger to trace the number 1 in the air. Say:

“Down we go. That makes 1!”

We Do: Find One

Time: 10 minutes

Place several groups of objects nearby. Some groups should have one object, and some should have two or three.

Instructions:

1. Point to a group of objects.
2. Ask, “Does this group have one?”
3. Count the objects together.
4. Have the child choose the group with exactly one object.

Use a playful voice:

“Can you find one animal? Can you find one block? Can you find one button?”

After each choice, ask the child to touch the object and say, “One.”

Quick Check

• Show the numeral 1 beside another numeral or shape. Ask, “Which one is 1?”
• Hold up one finger and ask, “How many fingers?”
• Give the child two objects and ask, “Can you give me one?”

We Do: Number 1 Movement Game

Time: 5 minutes

Invite the child to move one time for each direction.

• Clap one time.
• Jump one time.
• Stomp one time.
• Spin one time.
• Give one big wave.

Say, “We did one clap,” or “We did one jump.” Let the child choose one movement to lead.

You Do: Make the Number 1

Time: 10 minutes

Offer the child a choice of ways to make the number 1:

• Trace the number 1 with a crayon.
• Make the number 1 with play dough.
• Draw the number 1 in the air.
• Make the number 1 using one finger.
• Build the number 1 with blocks or craft sticks.

Simple directions:

1. Start at the top.
2. Move your finger or crayon down.
3. Say, “1!”

Give specific encouragement:

“You started at the top and moved down. You made a number 1!”

You Do: One Treasure Hunt

Time: 10 minutes

Invite the child to look around the home for things that come in groups of one.

Possible examples include:

• One pillow
• One spoon
• One shoe
• One book
• One stuffed animal

Instructions:

1. Choose a safe area to explore.
2. Ask the child to find one item.
3. Have the child bring or point to the item.
4. Count it together: “One!”

Let the child choose two or three safe items to find. Remind the child that the goal is to bring one item at a time.

Creative Activity: One-Item Picture

Time: 5–10 minutes

Ask the child to draw a picture that includes one special thing. Ideas include one sun, one balloon, one flower, or one pet.

Say: “Draw one thing. When you finish, point to it and tell me, ‘I drew one _____.’”

The adult may write the child’s sentence underneath the picture:

“I drew one sun.”

Assessment

Formative Assessment During the Lesson

• Observe whether the child points to the numeral 1.
• Ask the child to select one object from a small group.
• Listen for the child using the word “one” correctly.
• Watch how the child traces or makes the number 1.

Summative Demonstration

Ask the child to complete these four tasks:

1. Point to the number 1.
2. Give you one object.
3. Count the object by saying, “One.”
4. Make a number 1 using a crayon, finger, play dough, or blocks.

Goal: The child successfully completes at least three of the four tasks with little or no help.

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only one object at a time before showing groups with more objects.
• Guide the child’s hand while counting and tracing.
• Use large objects and a large number card.
• Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
• Keep activities short and include movement breaks.

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Ask the child to find the numeral 1 in books, labels, or a calendar.
• Ask, “Can you make a group with one red object?”
• Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
• Invite the child to write the number 1 independently.
• Ask the child to create a short story using one character or one toy.

Closure and Recap

Time: 5 minutes

Place the number 1 and one object beside each other.

Say: “Today we learned about 1. The number 1 means one thing.”

Ask the child to complete these sentences:

• “This is the number _____.”
• “I have _____ object.”
• “One means _____.”

Finish with a cheerful chant:

“One finger, one nose, one big smile! Number 1 is fun!”

Optional Follow-Up

During the day, look for the number 1 on clocks, books, signs, or packages. Each time the child finds it, say, “You found number 1!”