Reinforce your students’ understanding of order text connectives with these engaging and interactive Order Text Connectives Code Breaker Worksheets! Designed to build recognition and usage of connectives, this resource challenges students to uncover a secret code by identifying and applying order connectives throughout five scaffolded activities.

Each worksheet presents students with a short text. Students must identify connectives, complete cloze passages by inserting missing connectives, and compose their own short paragraph using appropriate connectives. Once each activity is complete, they tally the number of connectives used to crack the final code – adding a fun, puzzle-like element to literacy learning!

This resource makes an excellent follow-up to explicit lessons using our Text Connectives PowerPoint and Types of Text Connectives Posters. With five parts included, this activity can be spread over the course of a week to support a structured and progressive approach to teaching order connectives.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Identify and apply order text connectives in various contexts
• ✅ Complete cloze tasks using appropriate linking words
• ✅ Develop cohesion and fluency in writing through connective use
• ✅ Build editing and reflection skills by counting and analysing usage
• ✅ Strengthen reading comprehension and grammar application

What’s Included:

• Five progressive worksheet activities focused on order text connectives
• Tasks include identification, cloze passages, and original writing
• Secret code activity for engagement and motivation
• Three levels of difficulty for differentiation or learning progression
• Answer sheets for each activity

Materials Needed:

• Printed worksheet sets (select level based on student needs)
• Pencils or pens
• Optional: highlighters for identifying connectives in texts

How to Use:

1. Introduce or review order connectives using the Text Connectives PowerPoint and Posters.
2. Choose the appropriate levelled worksheet version for your class or groups.
3. Assign one worksheet per day across the week or use as part of a literacy rotation.
4. Guide students through identifying, inserting, and using connectives in short writing tasks.
5. Have students record their totals and solve the final code for a fun wrap-up!

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as daily literacy warm-ups or short grammar sessions
• 💡 Assign different versions across ability groups for targeted support
• 💡 Include in grammar rotations alongside sentence construction or editing tasks
• 💡 Use the code-breaking element as a whole-class challenge with team rewards
• 💡 Follow up with students applying connectives in their own writing pieces or narratives

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Print and laminate versions for small group work with whiteboard markers
• 💛 Use coloured highlighting to help students spot connectives during identification tasks
• 💛 Extend students by asking them to sort connectives into time-based categories (e.g. first, next, later)
• 💛 Encourage peer discussion around which connectives are most effective and why

These Order Text Connectives Code Breaker Worksheets are a creative and structured way to build student confidence and fluency in using ordering language. With built-in progression and engagement, they’re a valuable tool for your literacy program or grammar focus week!