Writing Two Events in Order
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on writing a narrative with two events in order, some detail and a sense of ending.
Writing Two Events in Order is a free 40-minute Grade 1 English lesson plan for Common Core standard W.1.3 — write a story of two or more events in order, using words like first and then. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the meaning, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 1
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- W.1.3
Grade 1 · Writing
W.1.3
Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
Objective
Students will be able to write about two or more events in the order they happened, using time words, with one detail and an ending.
Students are successful when they can
- Uses time words to order events: "First I bit an apple. Then my tooth fell out."
- Adds one detail that helps the reader picture it: "My tooth was stuck in the apple!"
- Ends with a sentence that closes the story: "I was so happy."
What you need
- Three picture cards showing a story out of order (a boy planting a seed, watering it, a flower growing)
- A story strip per child with three boxes: first, then, at the end
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — put it back in order
5 min- Show the three picture cards out of order: flower, seed, watering.
- Ask: "What happened first?" Move the seed card first, then watering, then the flower.
- Tell it with time words: "First he planted a seed. Then he watered it. At the end a flower grew." Underline the time words on the board.
Teach — two events, then the detail
13 min- Tell a true-sounding story: "On Saturday my tooth was wobbly. First I bit into an apple. Then I heard a crunch, and my tooth was stuck in the apple! At the end I put it under my pillow, and in the morning I found a shiny coin. I was so happy."
- Write the events on the story strip: first — bit an apple; then — tooth came out; at the end — coin under pillow.
- Point to the time words: first, then, at the end. Say: "These tell the reader the order."
- Point to the detail: "stuck in the apple." Ask: "Could you picture it?" Say: "One detail makes the story come alive."
- Point to the closing: "I was so happy." Ask: "How do you know the story is finished?" Fish for "He says how he felt at the end."
- Model a jumbled version: "I found a coin. I bit an apple. My tooth was wobbly." Ask: "Does it make sense?" No — the order matters.
“Tell it in the order it happened. Use first, then and at the end. Add one detail so we can picture it, and tell us how it ended.”
Guided practice — plan on the strip
12 min- Each child thinks of something that happened to them: a trip, a birthday, a time they got hurt, a time they lost something.
- They tell the story to a partner using the time words, pointing to each box on the strip as they say it.
- They draw or write a word in each box, then add one detail word with a star.
- Then they write the story from their strip.
- Circulate and ask "What happened first? Then?" If a child has only one event, ask "What happened next?"
“Point to each box as you tell it. First, then, at the end. Your partner should hear every time word.”
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the events page, writing on the lines and using the checklist.
- Point to the checklist: time words, two events, one detail, an ending.
- Ask finishers to add a feeling at the end of their story.
Close
2 min- Read one child's story (with permission). Ask the class to call out the time words they hear.
- Ask what the detail was and how the story ended.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Writes "and then" between every sentence: "and then... and then... and then..."
Why: "And then" is how they tell stories out loud, and it is the one time phrase they know well.
Fix: Give a word bank: first, next, after that, at the end. Ask them to use each word once. Read both versions aloud and ask which sounds better.
Writes only one event: "I went to the beach."
Why: For them, that is the whole story — the trip is one thing. They do not yet break experiences into steps.
Fix: Ask "What did you do first at the beach? What did you do after that?" Use the strip to show there must be at least two boxes filled.
Stops suddenly with no ending: "...then I went in the sea."
Why: They have run out of events and do not know a story needs an ending.
Fix: Ask "How did it end? How did you feel?" Give closing starters: "At the end...", "I felt...", "It was the best day because..."
If they are not there yet
- Give two boxes, first and then, and let the child draw each event.
- Provide sentence starters: "First I ___. Then I ___. At the end ___."
- Tell the story with the child first, then they write one sentence for each box.
If they finish early
- Add a feeling detail to each event: "First I bit an apple. I was scared it would hurt."
- Add something a person said, with quotation marks.
- Write a made-up story with the same three-part strip.
Exit ticket
Write two things that happened to you, in order, and one detail.
What to look for: Two events with time words and a detail: "First I fell off my bike. Then Dad put a bandage on my knee. It was a big green bandage." Only one event means they need the strip. "And then" everywhere means they need the word bank.
Printable practice for W.1.3
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Two Events in OrderWrite on the lines. Use the checklist.
Questions about Writing Two Events in Order
How long does the Writing Two Events in Order lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Writing Two Events in Order teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3 — W.1.3, Writing for Grade 1: “Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.” In plain terms, write a story of two or more events in order, using words like first and then.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Three picture cards showing a story out of order (a boy planting a seed, watering it, a flower growing), a story strip per child with three boxes: first, then, at the end and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: writes "and then" between every sentence: "and then... and then... and then..."; writes only one event: "I went to the beach." and stops suddenly with no ending: "...then I went in the sea.". The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Write two things that happened to you, in order, and one detail.” Two events with time words and a detail: "First I fell off my bike. Then Dad put a bandage on my knee. It was a big green bandage." Only one event means they need the strip. "And then" everywhere means they need the word bank. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Writing Two Events in Order?
Yes — 1 printable W.1.3 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Writing Two Events in Order free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on October 8, 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-10-08. Aligned to W.1.3 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.