What is 1?: A Curriculum Resource for Educators
A Foundational Math Adventure to Inspire Conceptual Thinking in the Early Years
Teach More Than Numbers — Teach a New Way of Thinking
By Troy Shepherd, OCT, PhD
Are your students learning to count—or learning to think?
In today’s complex, interconnected world, it’s not enough for children to memorize numbers. They need a flexible, conceptual foundation for math that grows with them and starts with a deeper understanding of what “1” really means.
“What is 1?” is more than a children’s book, it’s a curriculum-aligned resource that helps teachers, principals, and curriculum developers introduce core math concepts through imagination, logic, and metaphor.
This resource supports your goals of building critical thinkers, creative learners, and confident problem-solvers starting in early primary.
About the Book
What Is 1?
What is 1? is a beautifully written children’s book that transforms early math learning into a joyful experience. Through playful rhymes and colorful examples, children are introduced to two foundational ideas in counting:
- Abstracting – understanding that numbers can represent anything
- Unitizing – seeing groups as single units
At the heart of the story is a powerful concept:
The number 1 can represent anything.
This flexible thinking lays the foundation for problem-solving, creativity, and lifelong confidence in math.
A perfect blend of early numeracy and imagination. A must-have for every classroom and home library.
A perfect blend of early numeracy and imagination. A must-have for every classroom and home library.
Who Is This Book For?
K–3 Teachers
Principals and Instructional Coaches
Curriculum Developers
School Boards + Districts
Educators pursuing whole-child, inquiry-based math approaches
Why It Matters
Too often, early math instruction becomes focused on rote counting and right answers. But beneath every number lies a metaphor and an opportunity for meaning.
Using the Axiometaphorical Thinking™ approach, What is 1? helps students:
- Understand abstracting: that numbers can represent anything
- Develop unitizing: seeing groups of things as one
- Think metaphorically: connecting logic to real-world concepts
- Move from counting to conceptual thinking
- Cultivate confidence and joy in mathematics
- Decrease math phobia
These are the very foundations needed for long-term success in math and beyond.
Curriculum Connections
Math Strand
Number Sense & Numeration (K–3)
Interdisciplinary Links
Language, Science, Social Studies
Pedagogical Approaches
Inquiry-Based Learning, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Metaphor-Based Instruction
Learning Contexts
Ideal for small group explorations, math talks, or classroom libraries
Why Buy This Book for Your School or Curriculum
- Encourages critical thinking
- Supports early math skills in a fun, memorable way
- Ideal for ages 4–8
- Designed by a certified educator & researcher
- Great for classroom discussions and bedtime reading
- Provides a unique conceptual framework for understanding early math
- Enhances classroom engagement and creativity
- Supports equity and accessibility through metaphor-based reasoning
- Includes a lesson plan illustrating how to apply Axiometphorical Thinking™
What Readers Are Saying
What is 1? opened up a whole new way of thinking for my daughter. She now sees numbers in everything!
As a teacher, I appreciate how this book introduces complex math ideas in such a simple, fun way.
It’s the kind of book kids will ask to read again and again.
Where to Buy
Get your copy from your favourite retailer
About the Author
Troy Shepherd, OCT, PhD is an educator, author, and consultant with a passion for bridging the gap between scientific thinking and spiritual understanding.
He holds multiple degrees—including a PhD in Education from the University of Toronto—and has taught across age groups. Dr. Shepherd’s journey also includes deep spiritual training as a shaman, leading him to develop the concept of mathematizing spirit, helping learners harmonize logic with intuition.
Visit mathematizingspirit.com for teaching resources and more about his work.
Bring the joy of math to life for your child or students
Grab your copy of What is 1? today and inspire a lifelong love for learning.
Contact Us
What is 1? is a rhyming children’s math book that promotes early numeracy, abstract thinking, and creative problem-solving. Ideal for ages 4–8, it’s loved by parents, educators, and young readers alike.