Science
Picture sequencing sheet
Cut and sequence six sunflower picture cards, then retell the growth cycle with First, Next, Then and Last. The two pupil pages include narration frames, a word bank, a drawing task and self-check. Answers and teacher guidance are supplied in a separate file.
How does a sunflower grow? Arrange the picture cards, then explain the order.
Read the complete materialRead the material
Cut and sequence six sunflower picture cards, then retell the growth cycle with First, Next, Then and Last. The two pupil pages include narration frames, a word bank, a drawing task and self-check. Answers and teacher guidance are supplied in a separate file.
Pupil worksheet. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
Page 1
NAME DATE LEARNING GOAL I can put pictures in order to show how a sunflower grows. I CAN ... put the pictures in order. say First, Next, Then, Last. tell how a seed grows into a sunflower. 1 Stick them in order ADULT READS Cut out the six pictures. Stick the seed in box 1. What comes next? 1 First STICK HERE 2 Next 3 Then 4 After that 5 Soon 6 Last Look closely. What is new in each picture? Find the roots under the soil. GO FURTHER Tell the story backwards, from new seeds to seed. CUT ON THE DASHED LINES Picture sequencing sheet · How a sunflower grows Page 1 of 2 SCIENCE AND TALK AGES 4 TO 6 PLANTS AND GROWING How a sunflower grows Cut, stick in order, then tell the story of a sunflower. STICK HERE STICK HERE STICK HERE STICK HERE STICK HERE bud A new seeds B seed C seedling D roots E flower F
Page 2
2 Tell it ADULT READS Say each sentence out loud, then write it. An adult can help. 1 First, the seed ... 2 Next, roots grow ... 3 Then, leaves ... 4 Last, the flower makes ... WORD BANK seed soil water roots shoot leaves bud petals 3 It starts again! Picture sequencing sheet · Ages 4 to 6 Page 2 of 2 HOW A SUNFLOWER GROWS AGES 4 TO 6 Tell it, then draw what happens next A new seed falls into the soil. Draw what happens next. CHECK IT My pictures go from seed to new seeds. I used First, Next, Then, Last. I told my story to a friend. Not yet Getting there Got it
Page 1
How a sunflower grows Teacher answers and guidance Supports the original two-page pupil activity. Correct order C, E, D, A, F, B: seed, roots and shoot, seedling, bud, flower, new seeds. Vocabulary to model seed, soil, roots, shoot, stem, leaves, bud, petals. Retell with First, Next, Then, Last. Watch for Ordering by height only, or thinking the shoot comes before the roots. The root grows first. Support and stretch Support: four cards (C, D, A, F), pre-cut. Stretch: a sentence for each card. Talk and drawing check Talk: What does a seed need to grow? (water, warmth; then light). Box 3: roots, then a shoot again. Teacher guide Page 1 of 1
A teaching sequence
Sequence the pictured stages from seed to new seeds and retell the sequence using clear ordering words and plant vocabulary.
How does a sunflower grow? Arrange the picture cards, then explain the order.
Read the complete materialOrder the growth cards
Cut out the six stage cards or prepare them in advance. Pupils place seed, roots and shoot, seedling, bud, flower and new seeds in order.
Which card shows roots before the seedling?
How does a sunflower grow? Arrange the picture cards, then explain the order.
Read the complete materialNotice each change
Ask pupils to notice what changes in each picture, including the roots under the soil.
What appears under the soil before you see leaves?
Retell the growth sequence
Use the sentence prompts on page 2 to retell the sequence with First, Next, Then and Last, adding words from the word bank.
Can your next sentence explain the change shown in the next picture?
Start the cycle again
Complete the drawing prompt for what may happen when a new seed falls into soil, then use the teacher check boxes to revisit the order and vocabulary.
What might grow from the new seed, if conditions allow?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Look for a sequence that includes roots before the later seedling and flower stages, then ask pupils to explain what changes from one picture to the next. The printed teacher key gives C, E, D, A, F, B as the intended card order.
Give a little support
Use four cards rather than all six, as the teacher note suggests, and pre-cut them. Model First and Next with the seed and roots cards before pupils complete the sequence.
Take the idea further
Ask pupils to explain what a seed needs to grow, then describe how the plant can produce new seeds. Use the word bank to support the retelling and add a labelled drawing of the sequence.
Things to keep in mind
The cards give a simplified sequence and do not show every condition or stage in plant growth. The teacher answer key places roots before the seedling; review the images and wording with the lesson's science content. Teacher-only answers and guidance are supplied in a separate file.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
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Ideas for using this resource
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet a creator whose teaching interests connect with this template.
Kindly Red Pen
The two-page sunflower activity asks children to cut and order six growth pictures, place the seed first, then retell the sequence with First, Next, Then, After that, Soon and Last. The prompt to notice what is new directs attention to changes between stages.
Bright Idea Break
Children make a visible sequence before explaining how a seed grows into a sunflower. Roots under the soil are called out as a detail to find, extending the retell beyond what is most obvious above ground.
Notes Between Bells
An adult can read the captions and help children compare one picture with the next before cutting. Invite oral ordering words first, then use the numbered boxes to support the written sequence.
Chalk & Chai
This is a picture-sequencing exercise, not a full scientific account of plant growth. Check the six images against the lesson's intended stages and avoid asking pupils to infer details that are not pictured.