Fun with the Number 1

Materials Needed

• Paper
• Crayons or washable markers
• One small toy or household object
• Several safe objects, such as blocks, buttons, or socks
• Number cards or a paper card with the number 1
• Play dough or modeling clay
• Optional: music for a counting song

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Say the number word “one.”
• Count one object correctly.
• Trace or make the shape of the numeral 1.
• Find examples of “one” in everyday life.

Success Criteria

I can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Show one finger when I hear “one.”
• Give you one object when you ask.
• Make a number 1 with a crayon or play dough.

Introduction: The Mystery of One

Time: 5 minutes

Place one favorite toy in front of the child.

Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you hold up one finger?”

Let the child hold up one finger. Then invite the child to look around the room and find one object.

Ask:

• “Can you find one book?”
• “Can you show me one hand?”
• “How many noses do you have?”

Tell the child: “Today we are going to play and learn about the number 1. We will find one thing, count one thing, and make the number 1.”

Body of the Lesson

I Do: Meet the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Show the child a large number card with 1.

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

Place one object beside the number card.

Say: “The number 1 matches one block.”

Use your finger to trace the numeral slowly from top to bottom.

Say: “Start at the top. Go down. This is how we make 1.”

Model counting one object:

1. Touch the object.
2. Say, “One.”
3. Stop counting because there is only one object.

Quick Check

Hold up the number card and ask, “What number is this?” If the child needs help, say “1” and have the child repeat it.

We Do: One-Object Hunt

Time: 7 minutes

Place several groups of objects around the room. Each group should contain a different number of objects, such as one block, two blocks, and three blocks.

Say: “Let’s find the group with one object. One means only one.”

Help the child check each group by touching and counting the objects.

When the child finds one object, celebrate:

Say: “You found one! One block. One means just one.”

Repeat with household examples:

• One spoon
• One shoe
• One stuffed animal
• One crayon

Movement Game: One-Step Freeze

Time: 3 minutes

Play music or clap a rhythm. When the music stops, give the child one movement to do.

• Take one step.
• Jump one time.
• Clap one time.
• Spin one time.

Say: “Do it one time. Ready? One!”

We Do: Make the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Give the child play dough or modeling clay.

Make a long, thin piece of dough and shape it into the number 1. Invite the child to copy you.

Say: “Let’s make a number 1. Start at the top and go down.”

Next, use a finger to trace the number 1 in the air, on the table, or in a tray of play dough.

Ask: “Can you make a number 1 with your finger?”

You Do: Number 1 Art

Time: 7 minutes

Give the child paper and crayons or markers.

1. Ask the child to draw one large number 1.
2. Invite the child to decorate it with one color or several colors.
3. Ask the child to draw one object next to the number, such as one sun, one flower, or one balloon.
4. Have the child point to the number and say, “One.”

Offer choices:

• “Would you like to draw one star or one flower?”
• “Would you like to use crayons or markers?”
• “Would you like to make the number with play dough or draw it?”

Formative Assessment: Show Me One

Ask the child to complete these quick tasks:

• “Show me one finger.”
• “Give me one block.”
• “Point to the number 1.”
• “Make one clap.”
• “Draw one line.”

Give specific feedback:

Say: “You gave me one block. You counted carefully!”

Real-World Connection

Time: 3 minutes

Take a short “one walk” around the home. Look for things that come in ones.

Possible examples include:

• One front door
• One television remote
• One kitchen table
• One pet
• One child’s favorite toy

Say: “Numbers help us talk about how many things we have. Today, we learned that 1 means one thing.”

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 3 minutes

Show the number card again.

Ask:

• “What number is this?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “What does one mean?”
• “What was one thing you found today?”

Finish with a short chant:

“One, one, number one!
One finger up—learning is fun!”

Summative Assessment

Invite the child to complete this final demonstration independently:

1. Choose the number card showing 1.
2. Place one object beside it.
3. Say, “One.”
4. Draw or build the number 1.

The child is successful when they recognize the numeral, count one object, use the word “one,” and make a reasonable attempt at forming the numeral.

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only one object at a time.
• Guide the child’s hand while tracing the number.
• Repeat the word “one” with a clear gesture of one finger.
• Use large objects and a large number card.
• Practice for shorter periods with frequent movement breaks.

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Ask the child to find three different groups containing one object.
• Invite the child to write the number 1 several times.
• Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
• Compare one object with a group of two or three objects.
• Let the child create a picture using one sun, one house, or one animal and explain the picture.

Optional Follow-Up Activity

Make a “Number 1 Book.” Fold paper into a small book. On each page, draw or attach one item. For example: one sun, one ball, one flower, and one star. Read each page together and say, “One sun,” “One ball,” and so on.