One Wonderful One: Learning the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- Number cards, including the number 1
- Small objects such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons
- Paper and stickers
- Play dough or clay
- A small basket or bowl
- Optional: a favorite stuffed animal or toy
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Count one object accurately.
- Show one object when asked.
- Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
- Use the word “one” in a simple sentence.
Success Criteria
“I know I can do it when I can…”
- Point to the number 1.
- Put one object in the basket.
- Say, “There is one.”
- Trace or build the number 1.
Introduction: One Special Thing
Time: 5 minutes
Hold up one favorite toy or stuffed animal.
Say:
“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Can you show me one finger?”
Invite the child to hold up one finger. Sing or chant:
“One little finger, up in the sky.
One little finger, waving hi!”
Ask:
- “How many toys do I have?”
- “How many fingers are you holding up?”
- “Can you find one thing near you?”
Tell the child: “Today we will learn about the number 1. We will find one thing, count one thing, and make the number 1.”
Body: I Do
1. See and Say the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Show the child a large number card with 1.
Say:
“This is the number 1. We say, ‘one.’ It tells us there is one thing.”
Trace the number slowly with your finger while saying:
“Start at the top, go down, and stop.”
Have the child trace the number 1 in the air using one finger.
2. Count One Object
Place one block in front of the child.
Say:
“I see one block. I touch it and say one.”
Touch the block once and count slowly: “One.” Place it in the basket.
Model the difference between one and more:
- Show one block: “This is one.”
- Add another block: “Now there are two. That is more than one.”
- Remove one block: “Now there is one again.”
Body: We Do
1. One-Object Hunt
Time: 5–7 minutes
Invite the child to look around the room and choose one object.
Give clear directions:
- “Find one safe object.”
- “Bring it to the basket.”
- “Tell me what it is.”
- “Say, ‘I found one ____.’”
Examples might include one spoon, one book, one sock, or one toy.
Ask:
- “What did you find?”
- “How many did you bring?”
- “Can you touch it one time?”
2. Build the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Use play dough, clay, or small blocks to make the number 1.
Say:
“Let’s make a number 1. It has a straight line going down.”
Work together to:
- Roll one long piece of play dough.
- Place it straight up and down.
- Add a small slanting piece at the top if desired.
- Say “one” while looking at the finished number.
3. Think, Pair, and Share
If another person is available, the child quietly thinks of one favorite food, toy, or animal. Then the child tells the other person.
If working one-on-one, the adult can say:
“Tell your stuffed animal one thing you like.”
Possible sentence frame:
“I like one ____.”
Body: You Do
1. Pick One
Time: 5 minutes
Place several objects in front of the child.
Say:
“Please pick one object and put it in the basket.”
Repeat with different objects. Each time, ask the child to count the object by touching it once and saying “one.”
2. Number 1 Art
Time: 10 minutes
Draw a large number 1 on paper. Invite the child to decorate it with one type of mark, such as stickers, dots, or fingerprints.
Give directions:
- “Look at the number 1.”
- “Trace it with your finger.”
- “Trace it with a crayon.”
- “Add one sticker or one dot at a time.”
- “Count each sticker or dot.”
For a simple challenge, ask the child to draw one object next to the number 1.
3. Number 1 Movement Game
Time: 5 minutes
Call out an action and have the child do it exactly one time.
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Turn one time.”
- “Tap your knees one time.”
- “Give one high-five.”
Pause often and ask, “How many did you do?”
Formative Assessment: Quick Checks
During the activities, check whether the child can:
- Point to the number 1 when shown several number cards.
- Give one object when asked.
- Count one object without counting it more than once.
- Say the word “one.”
- Follow a one-step direction.
Give specific feedback:
- “You gave me exactly one block.”
- “You touched the object one time while counting.”
- “You started your number 1 at the top and went down.”
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Place the number cards 1, 2, and 3 in front of the child. Ask the child to complete the following:
- “Point to the number 1.”
- “Give me one object.”
- “How many objects did you give me?”
- “Trace the number 1.”
- “Tell me a sentence using the word one.”
The child meets the goal by correctly completing most tasks with little or no help.
Differentiation and Adaptations
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object and the number 1 at first.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and hold.
- Repeat the same language: “One means just one.”
- Offer choices: “Do you want one block or one animal?”
For a Child Ready for a Challenge
- Ask the child to find one object in several different rooms.
- Invite the child to write the number 1 independently.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Have the child make a page showing the number 1 and one drawn object.
- Look for the number 1 on a calendar, book page, or clock.
Different Learning Formats
- Hands-on: Use blocks, toys, or play dough.
- Movement-based: Clap, jump, or tap one time.
- Verbal: Practice saying “one” in short sentences.
- Digital: Display a number 1 on a screen and trace it with a finger.
- Outdoor: Find one leaf, one rock, or one flower without picking living plants.
Conclusion: Tell What We Learned
Time: 5 minutes
Review the large number 1 and ask:
- “What number did we learn today?”
- “How many things does one mean?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing to hold?”
Say together:
“One means just one.
One finger, one toy, one big number 1!”
End with a choice:
- “Would you like to practice one more time with blocks?”
- “Would you like to make one more number 1?”
- “Would you like to find one thing outside?”
Optional Follow-Up Activity
During the day, look for the number 1 in real life. Find it on a calendar, book, package, clock, or house number. Each time the child sees it, say:
“That is the number 1. It means one.”