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Kindergarten · lesson 2 of 4

Put Steps in a Useful Order

Arrange a container drawing before the marks that belong inside it.

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Supplied materials

  • Paper and pencil; an adult may read aloud. No device, account or purchase is needed.

Learn the idea

Instructions can depend on earlier instructions. If a step says to put something inside a box, we need a box first. We can notice this on paper by asking what must already be there when each step happens. An adult can read the words while you arrange drawn cards.

Draw three instruction cards: A says draw a cup outline; B says draw one dot inside the cup; C says draw a short line below the cup. We will start on blank paper and carry out the cards in order. Both B and C need the cup as a place to look at, so A must come first.

  1. Draw or point to the three cards A, B and C.
  2. Place A first and explain what it gives the other steps.
  3. Try A, B, C on a fresh page; point to the dot inside and line below.
  4. Try A, C, B and compare the final drawings.
Worked example

See the method in action

A, B, C produces a cup containing one dot, with one line below it. A, C, B produces the same finished picture: both later instructions still use the cup. The dot and line do not depend on each other.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

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Starting on blank paper, which order follows the needed first step?

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See the answer and explanation

A, C, B

A makes the cup first. C can then place its line below the cup, and B can place its dot inside. The other orders ask for a cup location before the cup exists.

Take it further

Change card B to draw two dots inside the cup. Follow A, C, B again. Expected result: a cup with two dots inside and one line below.

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Check the subject sources

These LifeStarter passages, scenarios and exercises are authored for this Academy with AI assistance and review. External resources keep their publishers’ terms. A grade label suggests a starting level; it does not establish alignment with your school’s complete requirements.