Instructional Focus Lesson Plan for

Grade 4

*Teacher may wish to use the accompanying Power Point to help present this lesson.

  1. Instructional Focus:
  • “In today’s lesson we will learn how knowing and understanding the way in which a text is written can help us as readers better understand what we read. We will focus today on the text structure of cause and effect. Let me demonstrate cause and effect for you.”
  1. Instruction:
  • Begin by showing students the cause and effect relationship by pushing over a series of dominoes. State that the cause is why something happens and the effect is what happens; it’s the result.
  • “I have here some dominoes. What would happen if I were to push one of the dominoes? It would CAUSE a chain reaction, wouldn’t it? Watch.” [Push the first Domino.]
  • “When I pushed the first domino, it fell forward and pushed against the next domino, which fell forward and pushed the next one, until all of the dominoes had fallen. Why did they fall? Be CAUSE I pushed the first domino. I caused the dominoes to fall. The dominoes falling was the EFFECT or the RESULT of my pushing the first one.”
  • Using Power Point or Teacher Transparency provided, read sample sentences that show clear examples of cause and effect. Identify the cause and effect for the students by underlining the cause and circling the effect. (See Power Point slides 4-5 or Transparency 1)
  • Introduce the cause and effect graphic organizer. Model filling it in with the information from the first sample sentence. Have the students fill out an organizer with you for the rest of the sample sentences. (Use Power Point slide 6 or Teacher Transparency 2.)
  • Introduce cause and effect signal words: since, because, consequently, as a result, therefore, for this reason, because, due to, so. (Use Power Point slide 7 or Teacher Transparency 3.)
  • Go back to sample sentences and look for the signal words used in them.

(Use Power Point slides 8-9 or Teacher Transparency 1.)

  1. Guided Practice
  • Using Student Page 2, read the first sentence and only identify the cause, have the students identify the effect. Continue with the second sentence, this time identifying the effect and having students identify the cause.
  • Next, Ask students to work independently or with a partner and read the rest of the sentences, underlining the cause and circling the effect in each.
  1. Independent Practice
  • Ask students to find three sentences using cause and effect in their own reading. Have them record the sentences, book titles and the page numbers and then share with a partner or in small groups.
  1. Further Extension Lessons
  • After this initial lesson, proceed to lessons using paragraphs that show cause and effect. Continue to use the graphic organizer for visual support.
  1. Assessment
  • After focusing on cause and effect for a week, give your students the included 4-question assessment.

(Teacher Transparency #1)

Grade 4

Language Arts

Reading Comprehension

Rosa saved her money for more than one year, so now she is planning to buy a new bike.

Last year, many students ate too much greasy food. As a result, they gained too much weight.

Tou studied politics; therefore, he became a lawyer.

The weather was cold; consequently, Sarah put on her scarf.

In 2002, numerous rainforests were cut down. As a result, the habitats of many animals were destroyed.

(Teacher Transparency #2)

Grade 4

Language Arts

Reading Comprehension

Cause / Effect

(Teacher Transparency #3)

Grade 4

Language Arts

Reading Comprehension

Cause and Effect Signal Words

•since

• because

• consequently

• as a result

• therefore

• for this reason

• so

• due to

1

Merced County Office of Education 2004