The trick with playing scales is recognizing how your hands work. If that sounds odd, consider this.
On each hand you've got five digits. Four of them move up and down, while the thumb moves from side to side. When playing scales it's often necessary to work out what notes your thumb is going to play, and the rest of your fingers generally follow along.
So this exercise and the one that follows gives you a bit of practice playing the first four notes of a C major scale. If you're doing it right, you should be able to keep your hand still and move only your thumb. Try it with your right hand before moving on to the next step.
