Learning Objectives

• Identify the beginning, middle, and end of a short story or passage.
• Use sequence words such as first, next, then, and last to retell events.
• Put story events in the correct order using pictures or sentences.

Materials Needed

• Short grade-level story or passage
• Sequence word chart (first, next, then, last)
• Event cards or picture cards
• Whiteboard and markers
• Student pencils and paper

Support

• Use picture cards and fewer events for students who need extra help.
• Provide sentence frames: 'First, ___. Next, ___. Then, ___. Last, ___.'
• Read the passage aloud more than once and pre-teach vocabulary.
• Allow students to work with a partner or in a small group.

Challenge

• Ask advanced students to explain why an event belongs in a certain spot.
• Have students add a fourth sentence using a strong transition word such as finally.
• Ask students to retell the story without looking at the cards.

Checks for Understanding

• Observe whether students place events in the correct order during guided practice.
• Listen for correct use of sequence words during partner retelling.
• Review independent work for accurate numbering and order.
• Ask an exit question: 'What happened first in the story?'

Closure

Review the words first, next, then, and last. Ask students to tell one event from the story in order and remind them that sequencing helps readers understand what happened.