Fun with the Number 1

Materials Needed

• One large paper or index card
• Crayon, marker, or pencil
• Small objects to count, such as blocks, buttons, or toy animals
• One favorite toy or stuffed animal
• Play dough or modeling clay
• Paper and child-safe scissors
• Optional: music for a short movement game

Learning Objectives

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

• Recognize the numeral 1.
• Say the number name “one.”
• Count one object accurately.
• Show one item when asked.
• Practice forming the numeral 1.
• Connect the number 1 to real-life examples.

Success Criteria

I can:

• Point to the number 1.
• Find or show one object.
• Say, “One!” when I count one thing.
• Try to make the shape of a 1.

Introduction: “The Mystery of One”

Time: 5 minutes

Hide one favorite toy behind your back. Say:

“I have a surprise. How many toys do I have? Let’s look!”

Reveal the toy and emphasize:

“I have one toy. One means just one.”

Invite the child to repeat:

• “One toy.”
• “One hand.”
• “One nose.”

Tell the child:

“Today we will learn about the number 1. We will look for one thing, count one thing, and make a number 1.”

Body of the Lesson

Part 1: I Do—Meet the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Show the child the large numeral 1 on paper. Trace it slowly with your finger while saying:

“This is the number 1. We say ‘one.’ It is a straight line that goes down.”

Use your finger to write a large 1 in the air. Invite the child to watch.

Give a simple visual example:

• Place one block on the table.
• Touch it once.
• Say, “One block.”

Quick check: Ask, “Can you point to the number 1?”

Part 2: We Do—Find One

Time: 8 minutes

Place several groups of objects in front of the child. For example, place one block in one group, two blocks in another group, and three blocks in another group.

Say:

“Let’s find the group with one block. Touch each group. Which group has one?”

Work together to check each group. Count slowly and touch each object once.

Repeat with familiar objects:

• One spoon
• One sock
• One toy car
• One book

Think-and-answer questions:

• “Can you bring me one block?”
• “Can you find one red object?”
• “How many noses do you have?”

Celebrate careful counting with specific feedback:

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

Part 3: Movement Game—One, Two, Stop!

Time: 5 minutes

Explain:

“When I say one, do one movement.”

Try these actions:

• One clap
• One jump
• One stomp
• One twirl
• One big stretch

Give the instruction, then count aloud:

“One clap—clap!”

Occasionally ask the child to choose the movement. This gives the child control and encourages creativity.

Part 4: We Do—Build One with Play Dough

Time: 7 minutes

Roll the play dough into one long “snake.” Bend it to make the shape of a 1.

Say each step:

1. “Make one long line.”
2. “Bend the top a little.”
3. “Look! It looks like the number 1.”

Help the child make a number 1. The goal is exploration, not perfect handwriting.

Optional challenge: Make one play-dough ball beside the number 1 and say, “One ball.”

Part 5: You Do—Number 1 Hunt

Time: 8 minutes

Invite the child to search for the number 1 around the home. Look at:

• Books
• Labels
• Clocks
• Calendars
• Building blocks
• Games or signs

When the child finds a 1, ask:

“What number did you find?”

Then ask the child to find one object nearby and place it next to the numeral 1.

For a classroom version, the teacher may hide numeral cards around the room. For a digital version, the adult may show pictures or objects on a screen and ask the child to choose the group with one item.

Part 6: You Do—Make a Number 1 Picture

Time: 8 minutes

Give the child paper and a crayon. Ask the child to:

1. Try to draw the numeral 1.
2. Draw one favorite object beside it.
3. Tell an adult what was drawn.

Possible picture ideas include:

• One sun
• One flower
• One pet
• One ice cream cone
• One big balloon

Say:

“You made a 1 and drew one thing. Tell me about your picture.”

Formative Assessment

Check understanding throughout the lesson by asking the child to:

• Point to the numeral 1.
• Say the number name.
• Give the adult one object.
• Choose one item from a group.
• Show one finger.
• Make a 1 in the air, with play dough, or on paper.

Summative Assessment: “Show Me One”

Time: 5 minutes

Place a numeral 1 and several objects in front of the child. Ask the child to complete these tasks:

1. “Point to the number 1.”
2. “Give me one object.”
3. “Show me one finger.”
4. “Draw or trace a 1.”
5. “Tell me something you have one of.”

Record success by observing whether the child can complete each task with no help, with a little help, or with lots of help. Repeat the activity another day if the child needs more practice.

Differentiation and Support

For a child who needs more support

• Use only one object and an empty space at first.
• Guide the child’s hand while tracing the numeral 1.
• Use large objects that are easy to see and touch.
• Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
• Let the child answer by pointing, showing a finger, or speaking.

For a child ready for a challenge

• Ask the child to find three examples of one in the home.
• Invite the child to sort groups containing one, two, and three objects.
• Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
• Have the child make a small book with one object on each page.
• Invite the child to teach a stuffed animal about the number 1.

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 5 minutes

Review the large numeral 1 and say:

“Today we learned about the number 1. One means just one. We found one, counted one, moved one time, and made a number 1.”

Invite the child to complete these sentences:

• “The number is _____.”
• “One means _____.”
• “I can find one _____.”

End with a cheerful chant:

“One, one, number one! Learning numbers is lots of fun!”

Optional Follow-Up Activities

• Read a counting book that focuses on one object.
• Serve one small snack and count it together.
• Take a walk and look for one bird, one flower, or one car.
• Place one sticker on a paper numeral 1.
• Sing a song while holding up one finger.