Determine the order of events in informational texts
key notes :
To understand a series of events, ideas or steps, you have to think about the order in which things happen.
As you read, one thing to look for is words that show time, such as next, later, after, already and then. These words can help you see what happens first, what happens in the middle and what happens last.
Learn with an example
Use the text to put the events in order.
Some kinds of materials change colour when their temperature changes. The metal iron is one such material. In its normal state, iron is a grey-black colour. When heated, though, it begins to change colours. First, when it reaches about 955 degrees Celsius, iron will turn red. Then, when it reaches about 1,100 degrees Celcius, it will turn yellow. Finally, at even higher temperatures, iron will turn white.
| Iron turns white. | Iron turns red. | Iron turns yellow. |
This passage tells about steps in a natural process. It lets you know that the process happens in this order:
Iron turns red.
Iron turns yellow.
Iron turns white.
Use the text to put the events in order.
The space shuttle Challenger took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 28 January 1986. The crew members were all in their seats on the shuttle by 8:36 a.m. However, the day of the launch was very cold, and there was ice on the ground. A team had been sent to the launch area to inspect the icy conditions in the middle of the previous night. At 8:44 a.m., the crew decided that they needed to wait for the ice to melt before launching. Once the ice had melted, the shuttle finally launched. Unfortunately, the shuttle exploded only seconds after taking off due to an issue with a tank.
| All Challenger crew members are in their seats. | The crew waits for the ice to melt. | The team inspects the icy conditions. |
This passage tells about a series of historical events. It lets you know that the events happened in this order:
The team inspects the icy conditions.
All Challenger crew members are in their seats.
The crew waits for the ice to melt.
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