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Learn to put events in the right order using transition words like first, next, and last.
Imagine trying to build a LEGO castle by starting with the roof first! It would fall down, right? Stories are just like LEGOs—they need a specific order to make sense.
Have you ever told a friend about your day? You probably didn't start with going to sleep! Sequencing is the order in which things happen. In English, we use special 'signal words' called transition words to help the reader follow along. Think of these words like a map. They tell us where the story started, where it is going, and when it is finished. If we change the order, the story might become a confusing mess. For example, if you say 'I ate the pizza' before 'I cooked the pizza,' your friends will be very surprised!
Quick Check
What do we call the specific order in which events happen in a story?
Answer
Sequencing
To be a master of sequencing, you need the right tools. Transition words are the 'glue' that holds your sentences together. We can group them by when they happen:
1. Beginning: First, To start, Once upon a time. 2. Middle: Next, Then, After that, Suddenly. 3. End: Finally, Last, In the end.
When you see these words, your brain should say, 'Aha! I know exactly where I am in the timeline!' If we were to number these steps, they would look like a simple sequence: .
Let's put these steps in the right order: 1. First, get two slices of bread. 2. Next, spread the peanut butter on one slice. 3. Then, put the two slices together. 4. Finally, take a big bite!
Quick Check
Which transition word would you use to show that an event is the very last thing to happen?
Answer
Finally (or Last)
Good readers are like detectives. They use clues to guess what will happen next. This is called predicting. If a character is holding an umbrella and looking at a dark, cloudy sky, what do you think will happen next? You can predict it will rain! By looking at the sequence of events that already happened, you can see the 'pattern' of the story. If the sequence is , your brain looks for .
Read the sequence: 1. Maya woke up and saw 'Happy Birthday' banners. 2. Next, she opened a small box with a ribbon. 3. Inside the box, she found a shiny new key. 4. What happens next?
Clue: A key usually opens something big outside. Prediction: Maya will go outside to find her new bicycle!
Can you find the missing step in this sequence? 1. First, the caterpillar ate a lot of green leaves. 2. Next, it built a hard shell called a chrysalis. 3. [Missing Step] 4. Finally, it flew away into the sky.
Answer: The caterpillar turned into a butterfly inside the chrysalis!
Which of these words is a 'Beginning' transition word?
If a story has 3 steps, and you have finished 'First' and 'Next', which word comes next?
Predicting is when you guess what happens next using clues from the story.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to remember the three groups of transition words: Beginning, Middle, and End.
Practice Activity
While reading your favorite book tonight, try to find three transition words and tell someone what happened 'First' and 'Last' in the chapter.