Mathematics · 1st Class · Time · Summer Term

Sequencing Daily Events

Learn to put the events of your day in order, from waking up in the morning to going to bed at night. We will use words like 'before', 'after', 'morning', 'afternoon', and 'night'.

TL;DR:Let's get our week in order! This topic helps pupils make sense of their daily lives by learning the names and sequence of the seven days of the week.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• PSMC: Measures - Time

About This Topic

This topic, Sequencing Daily Events, is a fundamental component of the Measures strand in the Irish Primary School Mathematics Curriculum (PSMC) for First Class. It introduces pupils to the concept of time by focusing on the cyclical and sequential nature of the seven-day week. The learning moves beyond simple rote counting to a meaningful understanding of temporal order, using vocabulary such as 'yesterday', 'today', and 'tomorrow'. This provides the essential groundwork for later engagement with calendars, timetables, and the broader concept of duration.

By connecting the days of the week to their own personal experiences, such as school days versus weekend days, pupils develop a practical and relevant understanding of time. This topic offers rich opportunities for cross-curricular integration, particularly with Oral Language, as pupils discuss their weekly activities, and with SPHE, as they learn about routines and managing their time. The use of songs, rhymes, and visual aids is crucial at this stage to embed the sequence and names of the days, catering to various learning styles and making the abstract concept of time more concrete and accessible for young learners.

Key Questions

1. Explain the order of your school day activities.
2. Identify an activity you do before lunch and one you do after.
3. Compare your morning routine with your evening routine.

Learning Objectives

• Recite the seven days of the week in the correct order.
• Identify the day that comes before and after any given day.
• Use the terms 'yesterday', 'today', and 'tomorrow' correctly in conversation.
• Distinguish between a school day and a weekend day.
• Relate specific daily activities to the correct day of the week.

Key Vocabulary

Monday	The first day of the school week.
Tuesday	The day after Monday.
Wednesday	The day after Tuesday.
Thursday	The day after Wednesday.
Friday	The last day of the school week.
Saturday	The first day of the weekend.
Sunday	The second day of the weekend.
Yesterday	The day before today.
Today	The day that it is right now.
Tomorrow	The day after today.
Weekend	The two days, Saturday and Sunday, when we usually do not have school.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Pupils often mix up the order of the days, particularly Wednesday and Thursday, or forget which days belong to the weekend.

What to Teach Instead

Use a memorable song or rhyme that repeats the days in order. Visually separate the five school days from the two weekend days on charts using different colours.

Common Misconception

The concepts of 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow' can be confusing, with pupils often using them interchangeably.

What to Teach Instead

Anchor these terms to concrete, recent events. For example, 'Yesterday we had Art, remember? Tomorrow we will have Assembly.'

Common Misconception

Thinking that the week starts on Sunday because it is often the first day shown on a calendar.

What to Teach Instead

Acknowledge that some calendars look like that, but explain that for our school week and work week, we think of Monday as the first day and the weekend as the end.

Active Learning Ideas

Morning Circle

Days of the Week Train

Pupils are given large cards, each with a day of the week written on it. They must work together to arrange themselves in the correct order from Monday to Sunday, forming a human 'train'.

15 min·Whole Class

Morning Circle

Our Weekly Picture Diary

Create a large chart with seven columns, one for each day. Pupils draw or stick pictures of a key activity for each day, such as P.E. on Tuesday or visiting granny on Sunday, creating a visual timetable of their week.

25 min·Small Groups

Morning Circle

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow Wheel

Create a simple spinning wheel with the days of the week. Each morning, a pupil spins the wheel to today's day and then identifies what yesterday was and what tomorrow will be.

5 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Knowing which day their swimming lessons or football practice is on.
• Understanding a weekly timetable for school subjects like Art or P.E.
• Looking forward to and planning for weekend activities like a party or a family visit.
• Following a sequence of events in a storybook that happens over several days.
• Knowing when their favourite television programme will be on.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Observe pupils during group activities, noting their ability to correctly sequence day cards and use terms like 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow' in discussions.

Quick Check

Use 'show me' boards where pupils write down the day that comes after a day you call out.

Quick Check

Provide a worksheet with some days of the week missing, requiring pupils to fill in the blanks to complete the sequence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we have to learn the days of the week?

Learning the days of the week helps us know what is happening next. It helps us get ready for things like P.E. day at school or a fun trip at the weekend.

What is the difference between a 'week' and a 'weekend'?

A 'week' is all seven days together. The 'weekend' is just two of those days, Saturday and Sunday, which are usually days off from school.

How can I help my child remember the order of the days?

Singing songs about the days of the week is very effective. Also, talking each morning about 'What day is it today?' and 'What did we do yesterday?' helps to make it part of their daily routine.