South Dakota ELA 2.W.3.c
The Standard
- 2.W.3
- Write narratives (e.g., story, poetry) that:
Use transition words to signal event order.
South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students tell or write events in the order they happened. They add words such as first, next, then, and finally to help a reader follow along.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student writes four events in a sensible order and chooses an order word for each one. A reader can tell what happened at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end.
Common Misconceptions
- Some students use and before every event, leaving the order unclear. Others put finally in the middle or use order words even when the events themselves are mixed up.
How to Assess It
- Ask students to write four sentences about getting ready for school. Have them use first, next, then, and finally, then check whether the events and words match.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs four picture cards showing how to make a sandwich; have them order the cards and write a caption for each.
Read two short versions of a lost-mitten story, one with order words and one without; ask which is easier to follow and why.
Play a relay where teams order four scrambled playground sentences and add first, next, then, and finally.
Have students write steps for packing a backpack, then let a partner follow the steps with a real backpack.
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Printable 2.W.3.c Worksheet
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