Kindergarten · Writing · week 29

First, then: order words

Use the order words "first" and "then" to write two sentences describing steps in the correct sequence.

Some stories happen in steps, in a certain order. Two helpful words for showing order are "first" and "then."

First tells what happens at the very start. Then tells what happens next. Using these words makes the order crystal clear.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • Pick a simple daily routine your child knows well, like getting ready for bed, so the steps are easy to recall.
  • Have your child act out or say the two steps out loud, in order, before writing anything.
  • Check that "First" starts the first sentence and "Then" starts the second, both capitalized since they begin the sentence.
  • This is early sequencing, a building block for the short stories coming up soon.
Talk about it:
  • What two steps did you write about today?
  • Which word shows the step that happens first?
  • Can you think of another two-step routine you could write about?

Mastery looks like: They correctly use "first" and "then" to write two sentences that describe steps in the true, correct order.

Common stumbles: Reversing the actual order of the steps; using first and then but describing unrelated actions; forgetting to capitalize First and Then since they start their sentences.

See it visually

Interactive, spoken-aloud tools that show this idea in motion.

Sentence BuilderDrag word tiles into a real sentence, with a capital and end mark.try →Story SequencePut events in order: first, next, then, last.try →
Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Writing for this learner.
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