Planning a task · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Making a plan before you start

Learning to Learn · Learning to Learn · ages 6-7
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. It is a good idea to think about what to do first before you start a task.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. Sam has not planned his story yet. What should he do before starting to write?

    • Write the ending before deciding who the story is about
    • Think about who it is about and what happens next
    • Ask his friend to write the whole story for him

  3. Before Leo starts painting a picture, what should he do first?

    • Get his paints and paper ready
    • Start painting on the bare table
    • Leave his paints in another room

  4. Tom wants to make a model. He does not know which materials it needs. What should he do first?

    • Gather a pile of materials without reading the task
    • Read the directions to find which materials he needs
    • Begin building and leave the directions unopened

  5. Zara has to make a poster for school. Which of these shows she broke the task into smaller steps?

    • First I'll draw the title, then add pictures, then color it in.
    • I'll start coloring now and decide what the poster is about later.
    • I'll ask my teacher to make the title and pictures while I watch.

  6. Before packing his pencil case, Ben says, 'First I'll put in my pencils, then add my rubber, then close the case.' What is Ben doing?

    • Planning the order of his steps
    • Forgetting which materials he needs
    • Starting without deciding any steps

  7. Kai says, 'I have not planned any steps yet.' Priya says, 'Before drawing, I'll plan the outline, colors and details.' Who has named steps before beginning?

    • Neither child has named any steps
    • Kai has named steps before beginning
    • Priya has named steps before beginning

  8. Ana stops painting because the paint she needs is still in another room. What could she add to her plan next time?

    • Bring the needed paint before starting
    • Choose a title before looking for paint
    • Put the needed paint away before starting
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Making a plan before you start W1-mt_QR3vxbN1o4-s1

  1. True · A quick think before you start helps you know where to begin.
  2. Think about who it is about and what happens next · Thinking about the story before writing gives Sam a starting plan.
  3. Get his paints and paper ready · Having the paints and paper ready can reduce stops to find them while Leo works.
  4. Read the directions to find which materials he needs · Reading the directions tells Tom what to gather for this model.
  5. First I'll draw the title, then add pictures, then color it in. · Zara named each part of the job in order, which turns one big task into small ones.
  6. Planning the order of his steps · Ben names his steps in order before beginning. That is planning.
  7. Priya has named steps before beginning · Priya names the parts before drawing. Kai says he has not planned steps yet.
  8. Bring the needed paint before starting · The stop came from leaving a needed material elsewhere. Bringing it first addresses that problem.
Worksheet · LightMySky