Lesson Plan Format

School of Education
The College of New Jersey

1. Title or Topic of the Lesson and Grade Level

Cause and Effect
Kindergarten

2. Lesson Essential Question(s):

What is a cause?
What is an effect?
What is the relationship between cause and effect?

3. Standards:
CC.1.1.K.E: Read emergent-reader text with purpose and understanding.
CC.1.2.K.C: With prompting and support, make a connection between two individual,
events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
CC.1.2.K.J: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being
read to, and responding to texts.
CC.1.4.K.C: With prompting and support, generate ideas and details to convey
information that relates to the chosen topic.
CC.1.4.K.N: Establish who and what the narrative will be about.
CC.1.5.K.A: Participate in collaborative conversations with peers in small and larger
groups.

4.

Learning Objectives Assessments

Students will be able to identify and Students will actively participate in the
explain what a cause is. cause and effect card matching activity.

Students will successfully complete a

foldable by generating appropriate effects
to each cause or vice versa.

Students will actively participate in

discussions about cause and effect.
Students will be able to identify and
explain what an effect is.
Students will be able to identify the
relationship between cause and effect.
5. Materials:
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
Anchor Chart
Cause and Effect Examples on Paper
Foldables
Overhead Projector
Pencils

6. Pre-lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge:

Students have learned that cause is why something happens and effect is what happened.
They have only had one lesson on this before, so these definitions will need to be
reviewed before beginning the lesson instruction.

7. Lesson Beginning:
Before starting my lesson, I will first review my behavior expectations with the class. I
will begin by giving the class a few everyday life examples of causes and effects. I will
re-introduce the terms to them along with their respective definitions and examples. An
anchor chart will hang at the front of the room for those who need it. Once I am finished
reviewing the anchor chart and giving examples, I will dismiss each table to the reading
rug.

8. Instructional Plan:
I will begin my lesson instruction by reading the book If You Give a Pig a Pancake.
Before reading, I will ask students who and what they think the story will be about. I will
ask students to pay special attention to the cause and effect situations present in the story.
After the story is over, I will ask students to give some examples of cause and effect from
the text.
Next, I will hand out index cards, some with causes written on them and others written
with effects on them. I will ask students to remind me what a cause is and what an effect
is to reinforce their meanings. The cards with causes on them will have a black mark on
them and the effect cards will have a red mark on them. I will ask a few students with the
black marks to read their cards aloud. Then I will ask a few students with the red marks to
read their cards aloud. I will ask students to turn and talk to each other and discuss which
group is cause and which one is effect. Once they determine which group is either cause
or effect, I will explain to students that there is a student from the other group who will
help to complete their cause and effect example. (For example: One student will have It
is raining. and their partner will have Ms. A uses an umbrella.). I will then instruct the
students with causes to read their cards one at a time and ask who from the effect group
believes that their example completes the sentence. As each group completes their cause
and effect sentence, they will read their sentence aloud to the rest of the class.
Once we are finished with this activity, students will be dismissed to their seats and
complete a short foldable activity. Again, I will ask students to explain to me what a
cause is and what an effect is to reinforce their understanding of the terms. Students will
then receive pre-made foldables to complete. The foldables will be differentiated. Some
 will have all causes and students will need to generate an effect (Low Level). Some will
have half causes and half effects. Students will need to generate a complimentary cause
or effect (Basic Level). The rest of the foldables will have mostly effects and some
causes. This foldable will have more challenging vocabulary for high achieving students.
(Advanced Level).
Early finishers will be urged to explore the rest of the books from the If You Give a
Mouse a Cookie series, which will be located in the back of the room by the reading rug.

9. Closure:
I will end the lesson by asking a few students to come up in front of the class and share a
cause and effect response from their foldable activity. I will hold a short discussion with
the students and have them define cause, effect and their relationship. I will explain to
them that cause and effect is not just something you read in a book or learn in school. It is
present in our everyday lives.