First, Then
First, Then
Today we use complete picture pairs to understand first and then: rain falls first and a puddle may be seen later; the cat sleeps first and later wakes and stretches. Amara observes the sequence already shown instead of predicting the next event.
Today's Approach
Amara is about 2 years and 7 months old. Keep each activity to 3–8 minutes. Looking, pointing, moving, saying one word, staying quiet, pausing, or declining all count. Use only the two posters and audio; use no rainwater, branches, animals, or other objects, and do not test predictions.
A4 Teaching Pictures
Open the concept poster to download or print
Open the extension poster to download or print
Goals
- Chinese: understand 先发生 and 然后发生 as temporal order.
- English: hear
firstandthenin two-step pictures. - Early maths: count one umbrella, two boots, and three leaves.
- Thinking: read a fully shown sequence without turning it into prediction or compliance.
Materials
- Only the two A4 teaching pictures above, printed or displayed full-screen.
- The English audio below.
- No umbrella, boots, leaves, water, or other objects are needed.
1. Chinese Picture Talk
Time: 5–8 minutes.
Start with the concept poster and trace each arrow: “先下雨，然后可能出现水坑。”“猫先睡着，然后醒来伸展。” The puddle is one possible pictured result, not a promise that every rainfall in every place produces one.
Use the extension poster: “猫先睡，后来伸展。”“鸟先停在低树枝上，后来飞走。” Amara may follow only one pair, point left or right, or stay quiet.
2. English Time
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Download today's English audio
Transcript: English time. Listen, look, or point. First, rain falls. Then, we may see a puddle. First, the cat sleeps. Then, the cat stretches. The pictures show what happened first and then. All done.
Play it once and point from left to right. Do not pause before then and ask Amara to guess.
| English | Chinese | Possible response |
|---|---|---|
First, rain falls. | 先下雨。 | Look left or point to the cloud |
Then, we may see a puddle. | 然后可能看见水坑。 | Point right or stay quiet |
Then, the cat stretches. | 然后猫伸展。 | Point, stretch a hand, or pause |
3. Early Maths: 1, 2, 3
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Count only the bottom strip of the first poster: one complete umbrella, two complete boots, and three complete leaves. Ignore the handle, boot shafts, and leaf veins.
4. Movement, Everyday Life, and Boundaries
Time: 3–5 minutes.
The adult glides an open hand slowly from left to right while saying “first—then.” Amara may join, watch, or stop. Do not turn this language into “obey first, then you may have...” as a compliance or reward system.
Safety and Development
Use pictures only: do not touch puddles, run a rain experiment, or approach and chase birds. In real life, drink, toilet, pain, comfort, and safety needs must not be delayed by a “first—then” condition.
Bedtime Recall
- “The cat sleeps first and stretches later; both pictures stay fully visible.”
- “The puddle is one possible result in this picture.”
- Say
The pictures show what happened first and then.once, then finish.