Fun with 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, buttons, toy animals, or socks
- One small container or basket
- Play dough or modeling clay
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Say that 1 means “one.”
- Count one object accurately.
- Trace or make the shape of the number 1.
- Find examples of one thing in everyday life.
Success Criteria
Success looks like this:
- “This is the number 1.”
- “I have one object.”
- The child gives, finds, or counts one item.
- The child attempts to trace or form the number 1.
Introduction: The Number 1 Hunt
Time: 5 minutes
Say:
“Today we are learning about the number 1. One means just one thing. Can you show me one finger?”
Show one finger and invite the child to copy you. Look around the room together and find things that come in ones, such as:
- One nose
- One sun in a picture
- One chair
- One favorite toy
Ask:
- “Can you find one toy?”
- “Can you bring me one block?”
- “How many blocks did you bring?”
Body of the Lesson
1. I Do: See and Say the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Show a large numeral 1. Trace it slowly with your finger while saying:
“This is the number 1. We say one. The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Place one object beside the numeral 1. Count slowly:
“One block. There is one block.”
Show a group with more than one object and say:
“This is not one. There are many. Let’s find just one.”
Quick Check: Hold up the number 1 and ask, “What number is this?” Then hold up one object and ask, “How many?”
2. We Do: One or More?
Time: 7 minutes
Place small groups of objects on the table. Make some groups contain one object and others contain two or three objects.
Invite the child to look at each group and decide whether it shows one.
Say:
“Let’s check this group together. Touch each object. One. Does this group show one?”
For each group, ask:
- “How many do you see?”
- “Is there one?”
- “Can you take away the extra objects so there is one?”
Think-and-Talk: Ask the child to choose one object they like and explain, “I choose one ___.”
3. We Do: Number 1 Movement Game
Time: 5 minutes
Explain that the child should do one movement whenever they hear the word “one.” Demonstrate each action first.
- One clap
- One jump
- One turn
- One tap on the floor
- One wiggle
Give simple directions:
- “Do one clap.”
- “Take one jump.”
- “Give one wave.”
Pause after each action and ask, “How many did you do?” Help the child answer, “One.”
4. I Do, Then We Do: Make the Number 1
Time: 7 minutes
Draw a large number 1. Say:
“The number 1 starts at the top. It goes down. It is a straight line.”
Trace the number slowly with your finger. Then invite the child to:
- Trace the large number 1 with a finger.
- Trace it with a crayon or marker.
- Make a number 1 with play dough.
- Build a number 1 using blocks, craft sticks, or toy pieces.
Use gentle encouragement such as:
“You started at the top and moved down. You made a number 1!”
5. You Do: One-Item Basket
Time: 8 minutes
Place several objects around the room and give the child a basket or container.
Say:
“Your job is to find one object for the basket. Choose any object you like. Bring back only one.”
After the child returns, count the object together:
“One object is in the basket. You found one!”
Repeat with different objects if the child is interested. Encourage the child to choose what to find, such as one red item, one soft item, or one toy animal.
6. Creative Choice Activity
Time: 5–10 minutes
Let the child choose one activity:
- One Sticker: Place one sticker on a paper number 1.
- One-Object Drawing: Draw one sun, one flower, or one pet.
- Play Dough 1: Make one number 1 and one small ball.
- Number 1 Collage: Decorate a large number 1 with crayons, paper pieces, or one type of safe craft material.
Ask the child to describe the work:
“What did you make? Can you show me one part?”
Formative Assessment
Check understanding naturally during the lesson by asking:
- “What number is this?” while showing the numeral 1.
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you give me one block?”
- “Which group has one?”
- “How many objects are in your basket?”
Notice whether the child can recognize the numeral, count one object, and separate one object from a group.
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Time: 5 minutes
Invite the child to complete this short demonstration:
- Point to the number 1 among two or three number cards.
- Choose one object from a group.
- Say or repeat, “This is one.”
- Trace or make the number 1.
- Find one thing in the room.
Celebrate effort and accuracy. If the child needs help, offer choices or model the answer, then let the child try again.
Differentiation and Adaptations
For Extra Support
- Use only two choices at a time: one object and a group of two.
- Use large, easy-to-hold objects.
- Guide the child’s hand while tracing, then allow an independent attempt.
- Repeat the same language: “One means just one.”
- Use fingers, movement, and real objects before asking the child to write.
For an Extra Challenge
- Ask the child to find one object of a certain color or texture.
- Invite the child to look for the number 1 in a book, calendar, or package.
- Ask, “What happens if we add one more?”
- Have the child make a simple picture showing one object and label it with the numeral 1.
- Practice writing the number 1 independently on a smaller line.
Flexible Learning Options
- For a quiet lesson, use books, drawing, and sorting.
- For an active lesson, use the movement game and a number hunt.
- For a digital lesson, show a numeral 1 on screen and invite the child to find one object near them.
- For a group setting, let each learner take one object and count together.
Conclusion and Recap
Time: 3 minutes
Hold up the numeral 1 and ask the child to finish these sentences:
- “This is the number ___.”
- “The number 1 means ___ thing.”
- “I can show one by holding up ___ finger.”
Say:
“Today we learned that 1 means one. We found one object, moved one time, and practiced making the number 1. You did a great job learning about one!”
End with one final action: the child gives one high-five.
Optional Everyday Follow-Up
During the day, look for examples of one: one shoe, one spoon, one book, or one bird outside. Each time, say together:
“I see one!”