KS1 Maths: Counting - The number one

Video summary

As Rodd paints his picture he realises there is only one sun, an elephant has only one trunk and a giraffe has only one neck.

Rodd invites the children to think about the parts of their body they have only one of, and to move them.

The children then help Rodd find the number one on his number shelf.

Using a large picture of the rhyme 'Hey, diddle, diddle', he challenges the children to think of something the rhyme animals have only one of.

Appearing as a dog with a long tail, Rodd sings the Number 1 song and demonstrates how to write the number in the air.

This is from the series: Counting with Rodd Counting with Rodd 1

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Teacher Notes

Students could make a display of items and pictures of objects which only ever have one feature.

Students could make up ‘Rodd riddles’, using the word only, for example ‘I’m thinking of something that only has one spout’.

Students could make small finger puppets of an elephant’s face from card and put their index finger through a hole as a ‘trunk’.

Outside, students could slowly pour water, from a plastic teapot spout or watering can, in the shape of the numeral one.

This clip is relevant for teaching Maths at KS1 in England, Foundation Phase in Wales and Early and 1st Level in Scotland. Also Foundation and KS1 in Northern Ireland.

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Rodd thinks about how the number two applies to the bike he is cleaning.

The number 2

Rodd thinks about how the number three applies to the books he is reading.

The number 3

Rodd thinks about how the number four applies to the things around him.

The number 4

Rodd gets a package of novelty gloves, and uses them to count on his fingers all the number fives around him, encouraging children to count with him and sing a song about the number five.

The number 5

Rodd's ladybird cake has six legs, his egg-box has six eggs and his giant die has six sides. He dresses up as a chicken and asks the children to join him in pretending to lay six eggs.

The number 6

Rodd counts his Auntie's seven pairs of bloomers, the days of the week, the colours of the rainbow and the Seven Dwarves. He asks the children to join him in singing a song about the number seven.

The number 7

Rodd discovers that umbrellas have eight spokes, spiders have eight legs and octopuses have eight arms. He invites children to count the spiders' wellies and sing the number eight song with him.

The number 8

Rodd is dressed as a firefighter for his fancy-dress party, which will have nine guests. He thinks about 999, does firefighter exercises, and counts that he has enough of everything for the party.

The number 9

Rodd is thinking about the number ten, doing ‘ten’ exercises and playing mini ‘ten-pin bowling’.

The number 10
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