Cause/Effect Graphic Organizer

CAUSE

EFFECT

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_1

Identifying Cause and Effect Signaling

Words
Here are some examples of cause and effect signaling words. Cause and
effect signaling words signal that the author is showing a connection
between two or more events. See if you can find any of these, or similar ones
in the article you just read.

Cause and Effect Signaling

Words

Cause
Lead to
Bring about
Originate
Produce
Make possible
Owing to
By means of
Accomplish
By since
Due to
Because
In order to
Reasons
Give reasons for
For the purpose
of

The reason why

Ifthen
This is why
On account of
In explanation
Effect
Affects
So
Influenced by
As a result
Result from
Consequence
Consequent
Thus
Therefore
Accordingly

Write five cause-effect signal words you found in the text:

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_2

Main Idea
The main idea of a text tells the topics that were discussed in the text, how
the topics were discussed (text structure) and what was discussed about the
topics.
Use the chart below to help you plan your main idea sentence. Use your
annotations and graphic organizer to help you fill in the chart.
1. List the causes that were
discussed in the article

2. List the effects of those causes:

a. ______________________________

a. ______________________________

b. ______________________________

b. ______________________________

c. ______________________________

c. ______________________________

d. ______________________________

d. ______________________________

Main Effect:

Main Cause:
Using the information from above to help you, write a main idea sentence
about the article using the cause and effect pattern.
Cause and Effect Main Idea Sentence Stem
The main cause is ___________________, and the main effect is
___________________________.
Write your main idea sentence here:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_3

Monitor Comprehension and

Recall
Write a recall paragraph about the article you read and check your
comprehension. Use the pattern below to help you include all you can
remember.

Recall statement sentence stem

The first cause was ____________[state what was learned about the
cause]. The effect of this cause was ______________[state what was
learned about the effect]. [Repeat for each cause/effect]
Write your recall statement below:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_4

Making Inferences
When we infer, we use the information that we know or have just learned to
make an educated guess. Think about what we know and what the text tells
us. Based on both of those pieces of information, we develop a deeper idea.
The text says
______________________
______________________

The cause is
______________________
______________________

The effect is
______________________
______________________

I also know or the

text also tells me
______________________
______________________

I also know or the

text also tells me
______________________
______________________

I also know or the

text also tells me
______________________
______________________

Because of this
information, I can
infer that
__________________
______________________

Because of this
information, I can
infer that an effect
might
__________________
______________________

Because of this
information, I can
infer that the cause
might be
__________________
______________________

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_5

Making Inferences
Using the steps from the previous page, answer the inference questions
below:

1.
The text says

I also know or the

Because of this

______________________

text also tells me

information, I can

______________________

_______________

infer that

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

______________________
______________________
______________________

__________________
______________________
______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

The text says

I also know or the

Because of this

______________________

text also tells me

information, I can

______________________

_______________

infer that

2.

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

______________________
______________________
______________________

__________________
______________________
______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_6

3.
The text says

I also know or the

Because of this

______________________

text also tells me

information, I can

______________________

_______________

infer that

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

______________________
______________________
______________________

__________________
______________________
______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

The text says

I also know or the

Because of this

______________________

text also tells me

information, I can

______________________

_______________

infer that

4.

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

______________________
______________________
______________________

__________________
______________________
______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

The text says

I also know or the

Because of this

______________________

text also tells me

information, I can

______________________

_______________

infer that

5.

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

______________________
______________________
______________________

__________________
______________________
______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_7

Elaborate
Elaborate on the topic by:

Researching additional causes

Researching additional effects
Researching possible problems based on the causes and
effects
Researching possible solutions based on the causes and
effects

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_8

Write to Inform:
Once you have learned information, it is important that you can share that
information through writing.

Inform
Informational writing allows you to share details that you have learned. In the
box below, you will see a strategy called TIDE that helps you write
informational texts.

T = Topic _______________________________________ (what are you writing

about)
ID = Important Details (list three important details to include in your writing)
ID 1 ________________________________________________________
ID 2 ________________________________________________________
ID 3 ________________________________________________________
E = Ending _________________________________________________________ (you
want to wrap up with a good sentence)

Put it all together. [Topic] is____________ because [ID1], [ID2], and [ID3].
[Ending sentence].

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_9

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Writing to Argue
Argumentative writing tries to prove an opinion by providing reasons and
evidence. You use this type of writing when you want to share factual
information and provide your opinion together.
T = Topic _______________________________________ (what are you writing
about/trying to prove)
R = Reasons (list three reasons why you think what you do about your topic
R 1 ________________________________________________________
R 2 ________________________________________________________
R 3 ________________________________________________________
E = Evidence (provide evidence from the text to support each reason)
E 1 ________________________________________________________
E 2 ________________________________________________________
E 3 ________________________________________________________
E = Ending _________________________________________________________ (you
want to wrap up with a good sentence)
Putting it together. _____________ (topic) is ____________(reason you are writing)
because ________________(reasons). First, ______________(reason 1) because
____________ (evidence 1). Next, _______________(reason 2) because
Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_10

____________________(evidence 2). Finally, ________________(reason 3) because

___________________(evidence 3). [ending sentence].

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Generic Cause-Effect Lesson Materials_11