A lesson plan in three steps
The objective of this activity is to help students understand cause and effect relationships, recognize them when reading and use them in their writing and speaking.
Activity:
Step 1:
- Read a short story to the class.
- After reading the story, ask the class comprehension about why particular events took place.
- Students draw a chart with two columns, causes and effects.
- Students complete the chart with causes and effects as they occur in the story.
Step 2
- Make a list of possible causes and have students brainstorm for possible effects.
Causes Effects John sleeps late … Nancy was ill … He was driving very fast … Possible linking words: so, as a result, consequently, that’s why
For example:- John sleeps late… (so, he always goes late to work…)
- Nancy was ill… (so she didn’t go to school…)
- He was driving very fast… (so he had a terrible accident…)
- Make a list of possible effects and have students brainstorm for possible causes.
Causes Effects He fell asleep … They got married … He had a terrible headache … Possible linking words: because, as, for, since
For example:- He fell asleep… (because he was tired…)
- They got married… (because they were in love …)
- He had a terrible headache… (because he had been working all day long…)
- Students add more cause and effects to the lists to ensure comprehension.
- Students discuss the examples they provided in pairs and write down a sentence with cause and effect.
Step 3
- Students work in pairs to identify cause and effect relationships from a printed story or passage.
- Each pair makes a large chart of causes and effects found in the story.
- After all students are finished, the charts are displayed for all to see and discuss.