Unit 3

What Does It Mean to Explore?

Reader's Notebook

Cause and Effect

In previous lessons, you learned about reading strategies that help you become an active reader. In this lesson, you will use those strategies while learning how to identify cause and effect relationships as you read.


What is a cause and effect relationship?

A cause is why an event happens.

An effect is a result of something that happened or the result of a cause.

As you read sentences containing cause and effect relationships, look for the relationship between the first part (the cause) and the second part (the effect) of the sentence.

Example: Because the computer was unplugged, it was not working.
  • Cause: unplugged computer
  • Effect: computer did not work


Click each coloured row for information about the activity.

Watch

Now you will watch a video about cause and effect.

 

During the video, you will:


  • Look for different examples of cause and effect relationships within a sentence.
  • Be introduced to signal words and phrases that help identify causes and effects in text.

As you come across signal words and phrases in the movie, list them on the Reader's Notebook: Looking for Signal Words and Phrases.




Document: Reader's Notebook: Looking for Signal Words and Phrases
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  1. Download the document Reader's Notebook: Looking for Signal Words and Phrases.
  2. IMPORTANT NOTE: When the download screen opens:
      • Click the "Open with" button.
      • Select "Adobe Reader".
      • Click "OK".
      • You will then be able to view the document Reader's Notebook: Looking for Signal Words and Phrases.
      • Can't view the file? View Skill Builder: Saving Dynamic PDFs.
Log-In

BrainPOP Log-In

Now, click on this link for the BrainPOP movie, Cause and Effect and watch the movie.

( Log-in: User: 0099, Password: students.)

Now you will read Ask an Astronaut on pages 152 to 156 of Literacy in Action 6A.


As you read, make use of the reading strategies you've learned:

  • ask questions
  • pause and check
  • summarize

Look for examples of cause and effect as you read:

  • signal words and phrases like the ones you recorded while watching the Cause and Effect movie
  • sequencing words such as when, because, after, as, and eventually

Add the sentences that containing the cause and effect words and phrases to the Reader's Notebook: Looking for Signal Words and Phrases. Space is provided to extract the sequencing word from each sentence.

Save

How to save a file:

  1. Have the file open and select Save As from the File menu.
  2. Name your Reader's Notebook: Looking for Signal Words and Phrases in this format: jsmith_signals and save the file to your Documents folder.

Formative Assessment

  1. This worksheet is similar to homework, which is an opportunity to practise important concepts in the lesson. The worksheet is NOT for marks.
  2. However, your teacher may ask you to submit this worksheet to check on your progress so be sure to save it in your Documents folder.
Compare your responses with those in the key by clicking here.