Planning a task
Make a simple plan before starting a task: what do I need to do, and what should I do first?
What a learner can do afterwards
- Before starting a task, describe what they need to do and what order to do it in
- Break a larger task into smaller steps without being prompted, for example: 'First I'll read the question, then I'll draw a diagram'
- Gather the materials or information they need before beginning, rather than starting and then stopping to find things
1 · Read
Before starting a task, think about what you need to do first and what comes next. That is making a plan. For a story, you might choose who it is about before writing what happens.
Planning happens before you begin. Saying the smaller steps aloud can help you remember them. Starting without naming any steps does not show a plan, though you can stop and make one.
Gather the things a task needs before starting. For painting, get paper, paints and a brush. For building, get the blocks. This can reduce trips to find things while you work.
Mia's job is to make a card. She breaks it into parts: fold the paper, draw on the front, then write inside. Each small step is part of the bigger job.
If you do not know which things a task needs, read its directions first. Then gather the things on the list. Guessing what to get can leave you without something you need.
You can also learn from a plan after starting. If you must stop because a needed tool is still elsewhere, get it. Next time, include that tool when you gather your things.
Naming steps in order before starting is planning. Before tidying, Lila says, 'First I'll collect the toys, then sort them, then put them away.' She has named what comes first, next and last. She is planning, even though she has not started tidying yet.
Before you start a task, think first: what do I need, and what comes first? A little plan makes the whole job easier.
Original readings about planning after-school jobs and a paper craft.
2 · Watch
Take it off screen
Where it sits
Where this leads
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.