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Level 1Week 20WritingGrammar

How to make a sandwich: instructions and imperatives

Instructions use commands. Children read how to make a cheese sandwich, put the steps in order and then write instructions of their own for a sandwich they would like to make, with paper food to act it out.

Ages 6 to 8Pre-A1 to A160 minutesChecked 7 November 2026

At a glance

From
Level 1, Next Steps English: Week 20, Directions
Grammar
imperatives
Key language
First, next, then, finally / Wash your hands. / Put butter on the bread. / Cut the sandwich. / Eat it!
Children make
A four-step set of instructions for making a sandwich.
Class size
Works with 10 to 50 children; pair and group steps say how to scale.

Objective

By the end of the lesson children can order instructions using First, Next, Then and Finally and write four commands for making a sandwich.

Success criteria for children

  • I can use commands: "Put the cheese on the bread."
  • I can use First, Next, Then and Finally.
  • I can write four steps in order.

Timing: 60 minutes

MinutesStageWhat happens
0 to 5Warm-up: sandwich favouritesAsk what children like in a sandwich; show sandwich pictures.
5 to 15Teach commandsShow actions: wash, get, put, cut, eat; children do them as you say them.
15 to 23Read: how to make a cheese sandwichRead the model text aloud; find the commands and the order words.
23 to 33Order the steps gameIn groups, put the shuffled instruction strips in the right order.
33 to 43Plan and write togetherPlan a different sandwich as a class and write four steps on the board.
43 to 55Worksheet: my sandwichOrder the steps, fill in the gaps and write your own instructions.
55 to 60Exit ticketEach child says one command for making a sandwich.

Materials

  • Paper cut-outs for bread, cheese, butter, tomato, lettuce (safe and allergy-free)
  • Strips of paper with the model instructions for the ordering game
  • Pictures of different sandwiches
  • One worksheet per child, a pencil
  • Directions (free, linked from Week 20)

Before the lesson: Do not use real food in this lesson unless the school has checked allergies and hygiene rules. Paper cut-outs work just as well and are safe. Cut the model text into seven strips and shuffle them for each group.

Step by step, with teacher talk

0 to 5 minWarm-up: sandwich favourites

  1. Show pictures of sandwiches. Ask "What is in this sandwich?" and take answers: cheese, tomato, egg, jam.

5 to 15 minTeach commands

  1. Mime each action and say the command: "Wash your hands." "Put the cheese on the bread." "Cut the sandwich." Children copy and say.
  2. Play "Do it": call a command and children mime it. Then children give commands to partners.
  3. Explain that a command begins with the verb and has no "you" or "I".
Teacher talk

"Cut the sandwich. Cut! A command starts with the action word."

Concept-check questions
  • Is "Put the cheese on the bread" a command? (Yes.) Is "I put cheese" a command? (No.)
  • What is the first word in "Cut the sandwich"? (Cut.)

15 to 23 minRead: how to make a cheese sandwich

  1. Read the text with the class. Then children underline the commands in one colour and the order words (First, Next, Then, Finally) in another.
Concept-check questions
  • What is the first step? (Wash your hands.) What is the last step? (Eat it.)

23 to 33 minOrder the steps game

  1. Give each group a set of seven shuffled strips. They read them and put them in order.
  2. Check against the original text. Read the right order aloud together with the actions.

33 to 43 minPlan and write together

  1. Choose a sandwich: "jam sandwich". Ask "What is the first step? What next?" Write the four steps using First, Next, Then and Finally.
  2. Point to the capital letters and full stops. Read the steps aloud while a child acts them.

43 to 55 minWorksheet: my sandwich

  1. Do task 1 alone, then check in pairs. Tasks 2 and 3 are done alone.
  2. Children who finish draw their sandwich with labels.

55 to 60 minExit ticket

  1. See the exit ticket.

Differentiation

Support

  • Give a four-line frame with only the key word missing in each line.
  • Let children use picture strips and copy the commands.
  • Do the first step together on the board and let children continue.

Stretch

  • Add "Don't" commands: "Don't forget the butter."
  • Add amounts: "Put two slices of cheese on the bread."
  • Write instructions for another recipe, for example a fruit salad.

Reading passage

Children read, underline the commands and order words.

Reading passage: How to make a cheese sandwich

First, wash your hands.

Next, get two slices of bread.

Then, put butter on the bread.

Put the cheese on one slice of bread.

Put the other slice on top.

Finally, cut the sandwich in half.

Eat it!

Questions

  1. What is the first step?
  2. How many slices of bread do you need?
  3. What goes on the bread first?
  4. What do you do last, before you eat?
  5. What is the last command?

Printable worksheet

Prints on its own A4 page. Use Print the worksheet above, or print the whole plan and the worksheet starts on a new page. One copy per child, or one per pair to save paper.

Litlings Free English · Level 1 · Week 20NameDate

How to make a sandwich

1. Put the steps in order. Write 1 to 4.

  1. ___ Cut the sandwich in half.
  2. ___ Wash your hands.
  3. ___ Put cheese on the bread.
  4. ___ Get two slices of bread.

2. Write the missing word.

putcutwasheat
  1. your hands.
  2. the cheese on the bread.
  3. the sandwich in half.
  4. it!

3. Write your own steps.

First, ________________________.Next, ________________________.Then, ________________________.Finally, ________________________.
Free to copy for classroom use.english.litlings.com/lesson-plans/how-to-make-a-sandwich-instructions-lesson/

Answer key

Reading passage questions

  1. Wash your hands.
  2. Two.
  3. Butter.
  4. Cut the sandwich in half.
  5. Eat it!

Worksheet

  • 1: Cut the sandwich in half = 4; Wash your hands = 1; Put cheese on the bread = 3; Get two slices of bread = 2.
  • 2: Wash, Put, Cut, Eat.
  • 3: answers will vary. Check that each line starts with First, Next, Then or Finally and uses a command verb, with a capital letter and a full stop.

Exit ticket

At the door ask "How do you make a sandwich?" Each child gives one command using a verb from the lesson. Tick: correct command, verb only, needs help.

Homework

Write instructions for something you can do at home (make tea, brush your teeth, tie a shoe) with First, Next, Then and Finally. Draw each step.

Teaching this to a whole class?

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More lesson plans

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Sources and free resources
  • Level 1, Week 20: Directions (the curriculum week this plan comes from)
  • All reading texts, dialogues, scripts, worksheets and answer keys on this page are original to Litlings and free to copy for classroom use.