Theme Developed by

Causality / Garrett Young

Title of Unit

Expository Reading/Writing / Language Arts

Grade Level Time Frame

2 - 5 / 3 – 5 Sessions

Unit GATE Scope and Sequence

1.  Understanding and disciplines.
2.  The independence, self-direction, and skills in group processes that lead to creative and productive thinking.
3.  The independence, self-direction, and skills in group processes that lead to creative and productive thinking.
4.  Critical and higher level thinking skills in both cognitive and affective areas.

Unit GATE Strategies

FFOE , S.C.A.M.P.E.R., Traffic Light Thinking (Bloom’s Taxonomy).

Unit Overarching Concepts “Big Ideas”

[To assess at the end of the unit with the “Performance Task” and to develop student ‘understanding’ and ‘knowing’ with “Other Evidence” and activities in the “Learning Plan”]

(Students will understand that…)
·  causality plays a dynamic role in our world and our lives.
·  cause and Effect relationships in expository text are identified with key words.
·  to attain comprehension, conducting inquiry-based research is needed.
·  reviewing reading materials using GATE thinking strategies will aid them in obtaining pertinent information from expository texts.
·  using thinking maps will help guide them to higher level thinking and understanding levels.

Unit Lesson Objectives

The student reader will:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases
as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
5.RL.5 Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or
stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure
of a particular story, drama, or poem
5.RI.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining
what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
5.RI.2 Determine two or more main ideas of a text
and explain how they are supported by key details;
summarize the text.
5.RI.3 Explain the relationships or interactions
between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or
concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text
based on specific information in the text.
5.RI.5 Compare and contrast the overall structure
(e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem
/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information
in two or more texts.
5.RI.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event
or topic, noting important similarities and differences
in the point of view they represent.

Unit Related Misconceptions

[Can include nonexamples.]

One cause has only one effect
Effects don’t create causes

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Unit Summative Performance Task Description

[To assess student mastery of the “Big Idea” at the end of the unit. Typically through one major product/project.]

Students will include four cause – effect relationships found from text in a properly written paragraph.
Students will choose one idea from the menu extension to complete at home and present to class.

Unit Materials/Resources

Natural Disasters Booklist.
Copies of Thinking Maps
Pencils
Journals
Handouts (included)
Computer with Internet access
Thinking Maps – Cause-Effect/Sequence/Describing

Theme Unit Name Date

Causality / Expository Reading/Writing

Discussion Questions Resources

Why do students need more exposure to expository text? Along with explicit instruction will understanding causality relationships help them understand the features and structure of this type of writing?
.
Using the Gate thinking strategies and structures, can these texts teach description, sequence, comparison and contrast, problem and solution, as well as cause and effect?
/ PRINTOUTS
  • Blank Graphic Organizer
  • Natural Disaster Booklist
  • Cause-and-Effect Graphic Organizer Rubric
  • Cause-and-Effect Paragraph Rubric
  • Sample Paragraph

EXTENSIONS MENU

Read a book:
Draw at least three comic strips that highlight three important cause-effect relationships in your book. Make sure the dialogue is realistic for your characters. / Write a song or rap explaining how and why key words lead us to discovering cause-effect relationships in text. / Make a time line from any piece of expository literature (i.e. magazines, non-fiction books, educational texts, online resources.) showing cause and effect relationships.
Read a book:
Draw a picture and write a paragraph describing the out door setting (or settings) of your book How did the setting cause an effect for the story? / Create a board game that teaches cause and effect relationships. / Create a collage showing various ways to represent cause and effect.
Write a report about a topic that interests you explaining the cause and effect relationships associated with it. / Devise a cause and effect science experiment and demonstrate it to the class. / Create a diagram that shows how mathematics involves cause and effect relationships.

Cause – Effect Relationship Concept Development Lesson

ANTICIPATORY SET

Teacher doubles over holding stomach acting as if in extreme pain. Students inquire. Teacher explains this happens when he or she eats too much.

OBJECTIVE (EEI FOUR PART)

Given blank graphic organizer, students will access prior knowledge to develop the concept of cause and effect by completing 3 - 6 cause-and-effect relationships correctly.

LEARNING SUB-OBJECTIVE

·  Students will use Fluency and Flexibility
·  Students will make lists of words/phrases
·  Students will work individually or in groups
·  Students will think about life experiences
·  Students will participate
TEACHER ACTIONS-STRATEGIES / STUDENT BEHAVIORS
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
1.  Activate prior knowledge about cause and effect by suggesting that a student (or pair of students) act out what happens when he or she eats too much too quickly or when he or she does not get enough sleep.
2.  When the students are finished ask the class what the end result is (i.e., a stomachache); explain that this is the effect. Ask students to tell you what has caused this effect (i.e., shoveling in large amounts of food). Ask students what they think a cause-and-effect structure is, soliciting examples that you write on the board or chart paper. Additional discussion questions include: Where do they think they might see cause and effect? What type of book or text might contain this kind of structure?
3.  Introduce the graphic organizer included, or Thinking Map, or the organizer you prepared on chart paper. Discuss the importance of organizing ideas and concepts from informational text. Ask students questions such as:
·  How will creating this graphic organizer help us to understand what we read?
·  Will this graphic organizer help us to better remember the information?
·  How might we show cause-and-effect relationships on a graphic organizer? / 1.  Students pair up to act out effects of over-eating and/or lack of sleep. Students not acting participate in watching and thinking.
2.  Students answer teacher questions and copy answers and examples from chart paper/chalkboard.
3.  Students’ fill-in Cause and Effect graphic organizer completing 3-6 cause and effect relationships. Students answer bulleted questions in journals, small groups or Think-Pair-Share.

MODELING

Teacher models cause and effects through body language.

GUIDED PRACTICE

Students write 3 – 6 cause-effect relationships using graphic organizer as teacher monitors.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

N/A

CLOSURE

Each student will write an Exit Slip demonstrating one cause – effect relationship.

Expository Reading Lesson

ANTICIPATORY SET

Teacher loads a plastic film canister with half water and places a half tablet of Alka-Seltzer fizzing tablet inside, closes lid and places on ground lid-side down. After a few seconds the canister pops into the air.

OBJECTIVE (EEI FOUR PART)

Given guided reading and reviewing time from expository text in a whole-class exercise, students will gain knowledge by defining cause and effect relationships and learning key words that indicate cause-and-effect relationships and write them correctly on thinking map.

LEARNING SUB-OBJECTIVE

·  Conduct inquiry-based research
·  Review reading materials
·  Use thinking maps
·  Check and correct spelling
·  Red Light and Yellow Light Thinking
·  Bloom’s Comprehension Level
TEACHER ACTIONS-STRATEGIES / STUDENT BEHAVIORS
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
4.  As you begin to read (insert book here)volcano book aloud, model the thought process behind discovering cause-and-effect relationships. For example, say something like, "As I begin reading Danger! Volcanoes, I see that there are lots of interesting pictures of volcanoes in this book. I bet I will learn some new information about volcanoes when I read this book." After reading the second page of the book say, "I wonder what causes the volcano to erupt? I bet I will learn that when I read further." After reading the next page say, "I see a key word that makes me think there is a cause-and-effect relationship on this page. The word cause tells me that there is a cause-and-effect relationship described here. The eruption of the volcano can cause dangerous slides of lava, rock, ash, mud, and water.'"
5.  After beginning the modeling, ask students to think about other cause-and-effect relationships they can find as you finish reading the book aloud to them.
6.  Fill in the graphic organizer by guiding students to share the cause-and-effect relationships they heard while listening to the book. Ask guiding questions such as, "What happens after a volcano erupts?" and "Do different types of volcanoes act differently when they erupt?" This should spark some ideas about cause-and-effect relationships that you can write into the thinking map.
7.  After completing the organizer, review the key words that signal a cause-and-effect relationship (e.g., if, so, so that, because of, as a result of, since, in order to, cause, and effect) Record this list on chart paper for future reference / 4.  Students will read along with teacher.
Students will fill-in cause and effect thinking map.
5.  Students will follow guided reading procedures and think about cause and effect relationships in text as teacher reads.
6.  Students will share the cause and effect relationships they found while reading along with teacher. Students will enter them on thinking map.
7.  Students will look for key words on thinking maps that signal cause and effect relationships. Students will copy list of key words onto side or back of thinking map.

MODELING

Teacher models finding cause and effect relationships in expository text and recording them on thinking map.

GUIDED PRACTICE

Guided reading

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

n/a

CLOSURE

Each group or student will orally read one cause and effect relationship found in text including key signal word(s).

Expository Writing Lesson

ANTICIPATORY SET

Teacher holds up book about natural disasters and asks,” How did the author know what to write in this book?”

OBJECTIVE (EEI FOUR PART)

Given two graphic organizers, the students will apply what they have learned about cause and effect and demonstrate comprehension of it by locating cause-and-effect relationships within expository text by recording these findings and then using the organizers to write an accurate paragraph.

LEARNING SUB-OBJECTIVE

Students will:
·  analyze data
·  compare and contrast
·  read for inquiry-based goals
·  use Associate from Scamper
·  employ Red Light thinking
·  employ Fluency and Flexibility
·  employ 6-traits of writing.
TEACHER ACTIONS-STRATEGIES / STUDENT BEHAVIORS
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
1. Distribute the Cause-and-Effect Graphic Organizer Rubric and review it with students. Explain that you will use it to assess the organizers they create in their groups and that they will be using their graphic organizers to write paragraphs. / 1. Read aloud in groups.
2. Students should work in groups to read a different example of an expository text about natural disasters. For this lesson, it works very well to assign students in groups with a wide range of ability levels. This allows them to help one another discover cause-and-effect relationships. Groups of three or four work best to keep every student involved. / 2. Shared reading.
For the first reading of the books, groups should focus on discovering the cause-and-effect relationships within the text. The groups may then have a short discussion of their ideas. / 2. Think/Pair/Share small group discussion.
3. As students read the text for a second time, they should record the cause-and-effect relationships they encounter on their thinking map/graphic organizer. Groups should find at least four cause-and-effect relationships from their text. / 3. Identify and write at least four cause and effect relationships.
Circulate while groups are working to provide support and answer questions as necessary. / 3. Each group member records individual thinking map.
Students should have one copy of their organizer for each group member when they finish. Tell them that they will be using their graphic organizers to write a paragraph.
4. After all groups complete their graphic organizers, return to the classroom to discuss the findings. Each group may share an example of a cause-and-effect relationship from their book. Ask students about the key words they found in their text. Questions for discussion include:
  • How many cause-and-effect relationships did you find in your book? Can you share one example?
  • What key words made you think that this was a cause-and-effect relationship?
  • How will these words help you to think about cause-and-effect relationship in books you read in the future?
5. Pass out and review the Sample Paragraph and the Cause-and-Effect Paragraph Rubric and review them with students. Students should use the information on their graphic organizers to write clear paragraphs that include information about at least three cause-and-effect relationships from their expository text. / 4. Each student share orally one cause-effect relationship and key word(s) found in text.
Participate orally in classroom question/answer discussion.
5. Students will write one introductory sentence, one sentence for each cause-effect relationship, and a concluding sentence. Students may include supporting sentences.

MODELING

Teacher models how to use thinking map/graphic organizer to aid in finding new cause-effect relationships and how they can made into expository paragraphs.

GUIDED PRACTICE

Teacher provides feedback and instruction during practice of finding cause-effect relationships from text. Teacher monitors students’ paragraph writing.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

n/a

CLOSURE

Each student will include four cause – effect relationships found from text in a properly written paragraph. Students share with class.