You will learn
- Tell my story in order.
- Use the words first, then, now.
- Listen to a friend’s story.
- Choose what I share.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- I have a personal story.
- A story has an order.
- I can use first, then and now.
- I choose what to share.
Words to know
a telling of what happened
at the start
after that
at this time
1. Discover: The baby photo
Aminata brings a photo of herself as a baby. “First I was a baby,” she says. “Then I learned to walk. Now I am in Grade 1 and I can read.” The class claps. “You told your story in order!” says the teacher.
Think: What is the first thing in your story?
2. Understand: My story
Idea 1: A story in order
A story tells what happened. We use the words first, then and now so that the order is clear.
Idea 2: My story
Your personal story can include being a baby, learning to walk, starting school and what you do now. It is yours, and nobody else has the same one.
Idea 3: My choice
You decide what to share. If something is private or makes you sad, you do not have to tell it to the class. You can tell a trusted adult.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): First
Say what happened first.
- Think back.
- Say first.
- Add a picture.
Answer: First I was a baby.
Example 2 (We do it together): Then
Say what happened next.
- Think.
- Say then.
- Add a picture.
Answer: Then I learned to walk.
Example 3 (You try): Now
Say what is true now.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say now.
- Add a picture.
Answer: Now I am in Grade 1.
Did you know?
People have told life stories for thousands of years, long before there was writing, by speaking and singing.
Why this matters
Telling our story helps us understand ourselves and listen to others.
4. Explore: Three-picture story
Fold a paper into three. Draw yourself as a baby, when you started school, and now. Tell your story to a friend.
- Fold the paper.
- Draw first.
- Draw then and now.
- Tell a friend.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? I have grown a lot.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- First I was ___.
- Then I ___.
- Now I ___.
- I choose to share ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What word starts a story?
First.
Question 2. What word comes after first?
Then.
Question 3. What word tells about today?
Now.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What word starts a story?
- What word comes after first?
- What word tells about today?
- Draw yourself now.
- Can you keep some things private?
Level 2: Grow
- Why use first, then, now?
- Why choose what to share?
- Who can you tell a sad story to?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw a three-part story.
- Tell it to a friend.
- Listen and say one thing about your friend’s story.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
A friend does not want to share their baby story. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
That is okay.
Another one. Ask a family member for a story about you when you were small.
Show a sample answer
Share one thing.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Small events count too.
Fix: I choose what to share.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can tell my story in order.
- I can use the words first, then, now.
- I can listen to a friend’s story.
- I can choose what I share.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- I have a personal story.
- A story has an order.
- I can use first, then and now.
- I choose what to share.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Celebrating individuality. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Write first, then, now with one word each. [2 marks]
- Tell your story in three sentences. [3 marks]
- Why do we choose what to share? [3 marks]
- What do you say if a friend does not want to share? [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Three words [1]; sentence [1]
- First [1]; then [1]; now [1]
- Private [1]; safe [1]; clear [1]
- That is okay [1]; kind [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What word starts a story?
- What word comes after first?
- What word tells about today?
- Draw yourself now.
- Can you keep some things private?
- Why use first, then, now?
- Why choose what to share?
- Who can you tell a sad story to?
- Draw a three-part story.
- Tell it to a friend.
Homework
Ask a family member to tell you one happy memory from when you were small.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What word starts a story? | First. | 1 |
| 2. What word comes after first? | Then. | 1 |
| 3. What word tells about today? | Now. | 1 |
| 4. Draw yourself now. | Picture. | 1 |
| 5. Can you keep some things private? | Yes. | 1 |
| 6. Why use first, then, now? | To keep order. | 1 |
| 7. Why choose what to share? | Some things are private. | 1 |
| 8. Who can you tell a sad story to? | A trusted adult. | 1 |
| 9. Draw a three-part story. | Three pictures. | 1 |
| 10. Tell it to a friend. | Spoken story. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 First.; 2 Then.; 3 Now.; 4 Picture.; 5 Yes.. Level 2: 1 To keep order.; 2 Some things are private.; 3 A trusted adult.. Level 3: 1 Three pictures.; 2 Spoken story.; 3 One sentence..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Tell my story in order | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Use the words first, then, now | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Listen to a friend’s story | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Choose what I share | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Stories must be about big events.” Small events count too.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use three pictures. Point to each and say first, then, now. Let your child repeat.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child tells a short personal story. Please talk to your child about what they would like to share. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Share a happy memory.
- Look at old photos if you have them.
- Respect what your child chooses to share.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: tell my story in order; use the words first, then, now; listen to a friend’s story; choose what I share.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: I am special and I can say my name, my likes and my feelings.
Materials. Paper, crayons. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Fold paper samples.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Show a baby photo and tell a teacher story with first, then, now.
Explanation (10 min). Teach story order.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners draw three pictures.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners tell kindly.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What happened first, then, now? What can I share?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Stories must be about big events.” Small events count too.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use three pictures. Point to each and say first, then, now. Let your child repeat. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 1, topic 9; NCSS C3 Framework, individuals and groups; Cambridge Primary Humanities, people; IB Primary Years Programme, who we are. These sources informed the lesson.