Media stories have a sequence — Media, 4–6 years
Stories in books, cartoons and videos usually show events in an order. Finding what happens first, next and last helps us follow what is happening.
First, next, last
A media story is easier to follow when its events are arranged in a sequence. Someone wakes up, finds a missing shoe and then leaves late: the order helps us understand why the last event happened.
Why does order matter?
Stories use order because one event can cause or explain the next. If a cartoon showed the lost shoe after the character had already left, we might still see the pictures, but the problem would be harder to understand.
Putting three pictures in order
Look at three pictures: a seed is put in soil, a green shoot appears, and a flower opens. First comes the seed, next comes the shoot, and last comes the flower. The order turns three separate pictures into one growing story.
The most exciting part is not always first
It is reasonable to put the most exciting picture first because it catches our eye. But if a story begins with the flower and ends with the seed, we may need to work out that the events are being shown backwards rather than in growing order.
Instructions and daily stories
You use sequence when you watch a cartoon, retell a photo story or follow a recipe. “Put the bread on the plate, spread the butter, then eat” works because each step comes at a useful time.
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