Students understand and locate cause and effect relationships when reading
Grades(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Subjects(s) Reading
Objective
Students understand cause and effect relationships and recognize them when reading
Materials
Children's books or stories for examples (The Three Pigs, etc.)
Two highlighters per student (yellow and green)
Large poster paper for group work
Printed copies of a story or chapter on grade level
Lesson
Focus: Read a short children's book to the class. After reading the story, ask the class why specific events took place. What led to each event? Make a T Chart on the board and list causes and effects of events as they happened in the story
Lesson:
1. Make a list of possible causes and have students brainstorm for possible effects.
Examples: Pete spilled hot cocoa on his shirt
Sally missed the school bus
John forgot to lock the front door
Mary accidentally sent an email to her boss
Jack didn't make the basketball team
2. Make a list of possible effects and have students brainstorm for possible causes
Examples: Bob fell as he entered the classroom
Sheryl didn't have her homework for science
Felipe didn't eat his hamburger
Ellie couldn't stop laughing
The entire class had upset stomachs
3. After brainstorming and discussing the examples, students work in pairs to identify cause and effect
relationships from a printed story or passage. Using poster paper, each pair makes a large T Chart of
causes and effects found in the story. After all students are finished, the charts are displayed for all
to see and discuss.
Assessment
1. Using a printed passage and highlighters, students work individually to locate cause and effect relationships. Students highlight each cause in yellow and its effect in green.
2. Challenge: Older students create and draw cause and effect cartoons.