Fun Lesson: Meet the Number 1

Materials Needed

• Large paper or a whiteboard
• Crayon, pencil, or washable marker
• Small objects to count, such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons
• Number cards or a paper card with the number 1
• Play dough or modeling clay
• One favorite toy or stuffed animal
• Optional: music for a movement activity

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the number 1.
• Say the number word “one.”
• Count one object correctly.
• Show one object when asked.
• Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
• Connect the number 1 to real-life examples.

Success Criteria

“I can…”

• “I can find the number 1.”
• “I can count one thing.”
• “I can show one finger.”
• “I can make a number 1.”

Introduction: The Number 1 Adventure

Time: 5 minutes

Hold up one favorite toy and say:

“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you show me one finger?”

Invite the child to show one finger. Count slowly together:

“One!”

Tell the child:

“Today we are going on a number adventure. We will learn about the number 1, find one thing, and make the number 1.”

Body of the Lesson

1. I Do: Meet the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

1. Show the child a large number card with 1.
2. Say, “This is the number 1. We say one.”
3. Trace the number in the air with your finger.
4. Say a simple rhyme while tracing:

“Down we go, and we are done. This is how we make a one!”

Show one object next to the number:

“The number 1 tells us there is one object. One block. One toy. One teddy bear.”

Quick Check

Ask:

• “What number is this?”
• “How many toys do I have?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”

2. We Do: Find One

Time: 8 minutes

Place several groups of objects in front of the child. Make some groups have one object and others have two or more.

Say:

“Let’s find the group with one object. Point to the group that has one.”

Try examples such as:

• One block and three blocks
• One toy animal and two toy animals
• One button and four buttons

Count each group together. Touch each object as you count.

“One, two, three. This group has three. This group has one. It has just one.”

Think and Talk

Ask the child to find one item nearby, such as:

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

Invite the child to say:

“I found one ______.”

3. We Do: Number 1 Movement Game

Time: 5 minutes

Explain:

“When I say one, do one movement.”

Give directions such as:

• “Do one jump.”
• “Clap one time.”
• “Spin one time.”
• “Touch one toe.”
• “Give one high-five.”

Pause after each direction and count the movement together.

For a playful challenge, say, “Show me one movement that you choose!” Allow the child to choose a movement.

4. I Do: Model Making the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Draw a large number 1 while talking through each step:

1. “Start at the top.”
2. “Make a little slant.”
3. “Go straight down.”

Trace the number with your finger. Then make a number 1 in play dough or clay.

Say:

“The number 1 goes down. It is tall and straight.”

5. You Do: Make and Find the Number 1

Time: 10 minutes

Choice A: Trace It

Write several large number 1s on paper. Invite the child to trace them with a finger, crayon, or marker.

Choice B: Build It

Invite the child to roll play dough into a long line and shape it like the number 1.

Choice C: Make a Number Hunt

Place several number cards around the room. Ask the child to find the card with the number 1.

Each time the child finds it, ask:

“What number did you find?”

Choice D: One-Object Art

Ask the child to draw one object on a paper. For example, the child may draw one sun, one flower, or one balloon. Help the child label it:

“I drew one sun.”

Formative Assessment: Learning Checks

During the activities, observe whether the child can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Say “one.”
• Show one finger.
• Select one object from a group.
• Count one object without adding extra numbers.
• Trace or create a shape that resembles 1.

Give specific feedback:

• “You found the number 1!”
• “You counted one object carefully.”
• “Your number starts at the top and goes down.”
• “You showed exactly one finger.”

Real-Life Connection

Look around the home together and find examples of one. The child might find:

• One front door
• One kitchen table
• One pet
• One favorite cup
• One nose
• One sun in the sky

Ask:

“What is one thing you can find?”

Summative Assessment: Show What You Know

Invite the child to complete this short number 1 challenge:

1. Point to the number 1 from two number cards.
2. Say the word “one.”
3. Give you one object.
4. Show one finger.
5. Make or trace a number 1.

The child meets the lesson goal when they complete most of the tasks with little or no help.

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only one object at a time.
• Give simple choices: “Is this 1 or 2?”
• Guide the child’s hand while tracing.
• Use large objects and a large number card.
• Repeat the words “one” and “just one” often.
• Allow pointing, showing fingers, or using objects instead of speaking.

For a Child Ready for More

• Ask the child to find all the number 1s in a group of number cards.
• Invite the child to write the number 1 independently.
• Ask the child to make a collection of one object in several different ways.
• Compare one object with groups of two, three, or four objects.
• Ask, “What would happen if we added one more?”

Conclusion: Number 1 Recap

Time: 5 minutes

Hold up the number card again and ask the child to complete these sentences:

• “This is the number ______.”
• “The number 1 means ______ thing.”
• “I can show one by holding up ______ finger.”

Say together:

“One means just one. We can find one, count one, and make the number 1!”

End with a celebration such as one clap, one high-five, or one silly dance.

Optional Follow-Up Activity

During the day, invite the child to be a “Number 1 Detective.” Each time the child finds one object, they can say:

“I found one!”