All About the Number 1
Materials Needed
- One large paper or card with the number 1
- Small objects to count, such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or crayons
- Paper and crayons or washable markers
- Play dough
- One small snack, such as a cracker or piece of fruit
- 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 1.
- Count one object correctly.
- Show one object when asked.
- Trace or make the numeral 1.
- Connect the number 1 with real-life examples.
Success Criteria
I can:
- Point to the number 1.
- Give you one object.
- Say, “One!”
- Make a number 1 with my finger, play dough, or crayon.
Introduction: One Special Thing
Estimated time: 5 minutes
Show the child one favorite toy or one small snack.
Say:
“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are learning about the number 1!”
Invite the child to look around and find one thing nearby.
Ask:
- “Can you find one toy?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “How many noses do you have?”
Celebrate every attempt with encouragement such as, “You found one!”
Body of the Lesson
Part 1: I Do — Meet the Number 1
Estimated time: 5 minutes
Show the large number card.
Say:
“This is the number 1. It says ‘one.’ One looks like a straight line.”
Trace the number slowly with your finger while saying:
“Start at the top. Go straight down. That makes 1!”
Show one object next to the number 1.
Say:
“The number 1 tells us there is one object.”
Count slowly:
“One block. There is one block.”
Quick check: Ask the child to point to the number 1 and show one finger.
Part 2: We Do — Find One
Estimated time: 8 minutes
Place several groups of objects in front of the child. Make groups with one, two, and three objects.
Say:
“Let’s find the group with one object. Touch each group and count.”
Count together slowly. Help the child choose the group with one object.
Repeat with different objects.
Try these prompts:
- “Can you give me one block?”
- “Can you put one button in the cup?”
- “Can you choose one toy animal?”
- “Can you place one crayon on the paper?”
After each turn, say:
“You gave me one. One means just one.”
Part 3: Movement Game — Move One Time
Estimated time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to stand up.
Say:
“When I say ‘one,’ do the action one time.”
Give simple directions:
- “Clap one time.”
- “Jump one time.”
- “Spin one time.”
- “Tap your knees one time.”
- “Wave one time.”
Pause after each action and count together: “One!”
Optional challenge: Let the child become the leader and choose one action for the adult to do.
Part 4: We Do — Build the Number 1
Estimated time: 7 minutes
Give the child some play dough.
Model how to roll one long piece and place it upright to make the number 1.
Say:
“Let’s make a number 1. It is a straight line going down.”
Help the child make the number 1. The child may also decorate it with one button or one small piece of dough.
Ask:
- “What number did you make?”
- “How many buttons did you use?”
Encourage the child to answer, “One.”
Part 5: You Do — Number 1 Art
Estimated time: 10 minutes
Draw a large number 1 on a piece of paper. Invite the child to:
- Trace the number 1 with a finger.
- Trace it with a crayon or marker.
- Decorate it with one sticker, one stamp, or one small drawing.
Give the child choices:
- “Would you like to use a blue crayon or a red crayon?”
- “Would you like to make a play dough 1 or draw a 1?”
- “Would you like to add one star or one dot?”
As the child works, repeat:
“You are making the number 1. One is a straight line.”
Part 6: Real-Life Connection — One Snack
Estimated time: 5 minutes
Give the child one snack.
Say:
“You have one snack. Let’s count it: one.”
Ask the child to place the snack beside the number card.
Talk about other things that come in ones:
- “You have one nose.”
- “A ball is one ball.”
- “The sun is one sun.”
- “A family may have one pet.”
Invite the child to name one thing they see.
Formative Assessment: Show Me One
Ask the child to complete these tasks:
- Point to the number 1.
- Show one finger.
- Give you one object.
- Count one object.
- Trace or make a number 1.
Use gentle prompts if needed:
- “Let’s touch just one.”
- “Start at the top and go down.”
- “Can we count slowly together?”
Summative Activity: The Number 1 Hunt
Estimated time: 5–8 minutes
Go on a short number hunt around the home. Look for:
- One number 1 on a book, clock, calendar, or toy
- One object to bring back
- One finger, toe, or body part
When the child finds something, ask:
“What did you find? How many did you find?”
Finish by asking the child to place one object beside the number card and say, “One!”
Conclusion and Recap
Estimated time: 3 minutes
Review the lesson together:
“Today we learned about the number 1. One means just one. We can show one with one finger. We can count one object. We can write or make the number 1.”
Ask:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing?”
End with a simple chant:
“One, one, number one!
One finger up—learning is fun!”
Differentiation and Adaptations
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Use only one object and the number card at a time.
- Guide the child’s hand while counting and tracing.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and touch.
- Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
- Allow pointing, touching, or showing one finger instead of speaking.
For a Child Ready for More Challenge
- Ask the child to find the number 1 in books, signs, or a calendar.
- Invite the child to draw one object beside the numeral 1.
- Ask the child to sort groups into “one” and “more than one.”
- Let the child teach someone else how to make the number 1.
- Compare one with two: “Which group has one? Which group has more?”
Optional Follow-Up Activities
- Read a picture book that features counting or the number 1.
- Place one toy in each room and go find them.
- Make a “Number 1” page for a counting notebook.
- Sing a counting song and pause when you reach one.
- Take a photograph or draw a picture of one special thing.