Listening for What Happens

Overview

In this third lesson of First, Then, Next, students listen closely to a short story and work out what happens first, next and last. They use picture prompts and sequence words to retell the story orally, building on earlier work with ordering events and speaking in complete sentences.

Learning intentions

• WALT listen carefully for the order of events in a story.
• WALT use picture prompts to help us remember and retell events.
• WALT use sequence words such as first, then, next and finally.
• WALT think carefully about each sentence before saying it.

Success criteria

• I can tell what happened first, next and last.
• I can match pictures to the correct events.
• I can retell the story in the right order.
• I can use sequence words when I speak.

Curriculum links

• Writing Processes — Planning: planning a short series of sentences through talk before writing.
• Writing Processes — Planning: using simple organisers to plan ideas and structure a text.
• Writing Processes — Planning: working towards a specific writing goal.
• English Phase 1 learning: listening, speaking and building coherent oral sentences.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Reconnect and hook. Teacher displays the opening story image and asks, “What might happen first? What might happen after that?” Students quietly study the image, share an idea with a partner, and listen for the sequence words they already know.

2. 4–9 min · First listening. Teacher tells the short story below without showing the event pictures, using a clear pace and expressive voice. Students listen without interrupting and hold up one finger when they hear something that happened first, two for next, and three for last.

Mia found a small seed in her pocket. First, she planted it in a pot and gave it some water. Then, she put the pot in a sunny place. The next morning, a tiny green shoot had grown. Finally, Mia showed the new plant to her class.

Ask: “What did Mia do first? What changed the next morning?” Accept oral answers and recast them as complete sentences.

3. 9–14 min · Notice and model sequence. Teacher uses the story sequence slides to reveal four event pictures one at a time, modelling how to think aloud: “I heard that Mia planted the seed before she put it in the sun, so this picture comes first.” Students help place the pictures in order and repeat the key sequence words: first, then, next, finally.

4. 14–22 min · Partner retell with prompts. Teacher gives each pair the picture-sequence retell sheet and explains that partners will use the four pictures to retell the story, not simply name the pictures. One student points to each picture while the other speaks; then they swap roles. Students use the sentence frame on the worksheet: “First, … Then, … Next, … Finally, …” Teacher circulates, prompting with “What happened before that?” and “Which word shows the next event?”

5. 22–27 min · Share and improve. Teacher invites two or three pairs to retell the story using the partner-retell prompt slide. Students listen and show a quiet thumbs-up when they hear a sequence word. After each retell, the class identifies one strength and suggests one improvement, such as adding finally or including an important detail.

6. 27–30 min · Exit retell and goal. Teacher displays the final reflection slide and asks students to turn to a new partner. Each student says one sentence beginning with “First…” and one beginning with “Finally…”. Students then complete the oral self-check on the worksheet by pointing to the criterion they met and naming one sequence word they used.

Resources

• the complete story and sequencing slide deck
• the picture-sequence retell sheet
• Story text for teacher reading
• Four large story-event pictures, if not displayed on the slides
• Whiteboard and marker
• Timer

Assessment

• During the first listening, note which students identify the beginning, middle and ending events accurately.
• During partner retells, listen for correct event order, complete sentences and use of sequence words. Record students needing support with ordering or oral language.
• Use the final oral retell as an exit check: students are meeting the intention if they can state a first and final event in the correct order using a sequence word.

Differentiation

• Support students by rereading the story in shorter sections, pointing to each picture, and providing the sentence frame: “First, Mia ____. Then, she ____.”
• Allow students who need additional processing time to rehearse with a partner before sharing. Provide gesture cues for first, then, next and finally.
• For students learning English, pre-teach the words seed, plant, pot, shoot and sunny with the pictures; accept brief oral responses before extending them into full sentences.
• Challenge confident speakers to add a reason or detail, such as “Mia put the pot in the sun because plants need light,” while keeping the event order clear.