Fun with the Number 1

Materials Needed

• One large sheet of paper
• Crayon or washable marker
• Small objects, such as blocks, buttons, toy animals, or cereal pieces
• Number cards or a paper card with the numeral 1
• Play dough or modeling clay
• One favorite toy or stuffed animal
• 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 correctly.
• Make or trace the shape of the numeral 1.
• Find examples of one thing in everyday life.

Success Criteria

“I can…”

• Point to the number 1.
• Show one object when asked.
• Say, “This is one.”
• Make a number 1 with a crayon, finger, or play dough.

Introduction: The One-Thing Hunt

Time: 5 minutes

Show the child one favorite toy or stuffed animal.

Say:

“Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we are going to play with the number 1!”

Ask:

• “How many toys am I holding?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”
• “Can you find one thing in the room?”

Invite the child to walk around the room and find one object. Celebrate each discovery by saying, “You found one!”

Body of the Lesson

I Do: Meet the Number 1

Time: 5 minutes

Show the numeral 1 on a card or paper.

Say:

“This is the number 1. We say one. The number 1 tells us there is one thing.”

Place one block on the table. Touch it and count slowly:

“One.”

Show several blocks, then move all but one away. Say:

“Now there is one block. One means just one.”

Model how to make the numeral 1:

1. Start near the top.
2. Make a short slanted line.
3. Pull the line straight down.

Say, “Up, down—that makes 1.”

We Do: One or More?

Time: 7 minutes

Place groups of objects in front of the child. Show one object first, then two or three objects.

For each group, ask:

• “How many do you see?”
• “Is this one?”
• “Can you touch each object as we count?”

When showing one object, help the child say:

“One object. The number is 1.”

When showing more than one object, say:

“That is more than one. Let’s count: one, two!”

Think-and-Talk Prompt: Ask the child to name something they have one of, such as one nose, one favorite blanket, or one cup.

Movement Game: Find One!

Time: 5 minutes

Call out a simple action. The child should do it one time:

• “Clap one time.”
• “Jump one time.”
• “Tap your head one time.”
• “Turn around one time.”

After each action, ask, “How many times did you do it?” Encourage the child to answer, “One!”

We Do: Make the Number 1

Time: 7 minutes

Give the child play dough or modeling clay.

Work together to:

1. Roll the dough into a long snake.
2. Bend or arrange it to look like the number 1.
3. Place one object next to the dough number.
4. Say, “This is 1. It shows one.”

Offer another option: the child may draw the number 1 in the air, on paper, or in a tray of dry cereal or flour.

You Do: Number 1 Treasure Basket

Time: 8 minutes

Give the child a small basket or bowl. Ask the child to collect exactly one item from several safe areas.

Use directions such as:

• “Put one block in the basket.”
• “Put one toy animal in the basket.”
• “Put one crayon in the basket.”

After each turn, have the child check the basket. Ask:

“Do you have one? Let’s count.”

For extra fun, let the child choose what kind of object to collect, as long as they collect only one.

Formative Assessment: Quick Checks

Throughout the lesson, notice whether the child can:

• Show one finger.
• Choose one object from a group.
• Match one object to the numeral 1.
• Say “one” when counting a single object.
• Recognize the numeral 1 when it is shown.

If the child gives an incorrect answer, respond gently:

“Let’s try again. Touch each object. One, two. There are two, not one.”

Summative Assessment: Show What You Know

Time: 5 minutes

Invite the child to complete these tasks:

1. Point to the numeral 1 from two or three number cards.
2. Give you one object.
3. Draw or make a number 1.
4. Find one item in the room.
5. Answer, “How many?” when shown one object.

Celebrate effort and progress. A child is successful if they complete most tasks with little or gentle support.

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use only one object at a time.
• Guide the child’s finger while counting.
• Use large, clear examples of the numeral 1.
• Repeat the phrase, “One means just one.”
• Let the child copy your movements before trying alone.

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Ask the child to find the number 1 in books, signs, or calendars.
• Invite the child to draw several number 1s.
• Ask the child to sort groups into “one” and “more than one.”
• Have the child make a page showing one sun, one house, or one flower.
• Introduce the question, “What number comes after 1?” without requiring mastery.

Real-World Connection

Look for one thing during daily activities:

• One spoon at snack time
• One shoe to put away
• One book to read
• One button on a shirt
• One bird outside

Each time, say, “We found one!”

Conclusion: Tell What We Learned

Time: 3 minutes

Show the numeral 1 one more time and ask:

• “What number is this?”
• “What does 1 mean?”
• “Can you show me one finger?”

Recap together:

“Today we learned that 1 means one. We found one object, counted one object, moved one time, and made the number 1.”

End with a short celebration chant:

“One, one, number 1! Learning numbers is lots of fun!”

Optional Follow-Up Activity

Create a “Number 1” page. The child can:

• Trace or draw the numeral 1.
• Glue or draw one object.
• Tell an adult what the picture shows.