English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 45 minutes
Order of events
Reading Comprehension
CCSS RL.1.2CCSS RI.2.3England: Y1 ReadingEngland: Y2 Reading (sequencing)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Order of events.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Key details
Leads to: Text structure (cause–effect, compare, problem–solution); Story shape: beginning, middle and end
Materials: A short text or extract (one copy each), Highlighters, Question cards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Key details). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- The fire truck is red. It has a long ladder and a hose for water. What does the fire truck have? (a sail / a long ladder / wings / a bell tower) → a long ladderPrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.
- Owls sleep in the day. At night they wake up and hunt for mice. When do owls hunt? (in the morning / at night / after lunch / in the day) → at nightPrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.
- Ducks have webbed feet. The skin between their toes helps them paddle. What helps ducks paddle? (their tails / the skin between their toes / their feathers / their beaks) → the skin between their toesPrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.
Hook · 5 min
- Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
- Share the objective: Order of events. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Dad cracked two eggs into a bowl. He mixed them. Then he cooked them in a pan. What did Dad do after he mixed the eggs?
- Step 1: Time words and the order of paragraphs show the order of events.
- Step 2: So the answer is: cooked them in a pan
- Answer: cooked them in a pan
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Lee dug a hole. He put in a seed. Then he covered it with soil and gave it water. What did Lee do before he put in the seed? (gave it water / covered it with soil / dug a hole / picked a flower) → dug a holePrompt: Look for time words: first, then, next, after, finally.
- First, Pia put on her socks. Next, she put on her shoes. Then she ran outside. What did Pia do first? (ran outside / put on her socks / ate lunch / put on her shoes) → put on her socksPrompt: Look for time words: first, then, next, after, finally.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- The alarm rang. Amy got up and brushed her teeth. After that, she ate breakfast. What did Amy do right after she got up? (went to bed / ate breakfast / set the alarm / brushed her teeth) → brushed her teethPrompt: Look for time words: first, then, next, after, finally.
- Lee dug a hole. He put in a seed. Then he covered it with soil and gave it water. What did Lee do before he put in the seed? (dug a hole / covered it with soil / gave it water / picked a flower) → dug a holePrompt: Look for time words: first, then, next, after, finally.
Watch out for
- Answering from memory or opinion instead of evidence in the text.
- Copying a long quote without explaining what it shows.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Key details.
- Use concrete materials: a short text or extract (one copy each).
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Text structure (cause–effect, compare, problem–solution); Story shape: beginning, middle and end.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-1.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder