Order of Operations | Assessment Review
Students review the idea that coding means following steps in the correct order. Through movement, picture cards, and simple unplugged coding games, students practice sequencing and order of operations in a developmentally appropriate way.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Order | The way things are put in a sequence from first to last. |
| Sequence | A list of steps in the correct order. |
| Code | A set of directions that tells something what to do. |
| First | The step that happens before all others. |
| Next | The step that comes after first. |
| Last | The final step in a sequence. |
Show 3 simple picture cards in a mixed-up order and ask, 'What should happen first?' Model the words first, next, and last.
Share ideas, point to the correct first card, and repeat sequence words aloud.
Demonstrate a short action sequence, such as clap, stomp, spin. Then do it in a different order and ask how it changed. Connect this to coding: computers follow steps in the order we give them.
Watch, predict outcomes, and notice that changing the order changes the result.
Place arrow cards or action cards on the board. Guide the class to arrange 2–4 steps in the correct order and act them out together.
Help place cards in order, say the steps together, and perform the sequence as a group.
Give pairs 3 action cards or object cards. Ask partners to arrange them in order, then explain their sequence using first, next, and last.
Work with a partner to sort cards, talk about the order, and present their sequence to the class.
Provide a simple worksheet or blank paper. Students draw or color a 3-step sequence and label the steps with beginning sequence words or pictures.
Complete their own sequence page and use pictures or words to show order.
Show an incorrect sequence and ask the class to help fix it. Celebrate correct reasoning and clear language.
Identify the mistake, suggest a fix, and explain why the order matters.
Bring the class together and review: coding is giving steps in the correct order. Have students say first, next, and last one more time and share one thing they learned about sequences.
Send home a simple sequence challenge: students draw or tell a family member 3 steps for getting ready for school, brushing teeth, or washing hands using first, next, and last.