ALCA Members PLC Domains Data Standards Map Plan Curriculum Assessment Strategies

How to Construct a Cause and Effect Chart Copy

Why? Have you ever been stuck when asked this question and simply answered "because?" With this Aurora Tool, you can learn how never to be stuck again. Use a cause and effect chart to show the relationship between causes and effects. This chart will show how sometimes multiple causes lead to one effect and how, at other tmes, one cause leads to several effects. With this tool, you can learn words that signal the important relationship between the cause and effect.

Engaging Questions

  • How could you use a Cause and Effect Chart to help you understand information you collect when doing a science experiment?

  • How could you use a Cause and Effect Chart to help you study for a test?

Teacher Goals

  • The learner will construct a cause and effect chart using data.

Required Resources

Steps

  1. Looking for Signal Words

    When reading reports or informational material, watch for words that signal a cause and effect relationship.

    These are some signal words:

    • BECAUSE
    • SO
    • THEN
    • SINCE
    • AS A RESULT
    • AS A RESULT OF


    Read the following paragraph. Find and record the signal words.

         Houses are damaged during earthquakes because the
         earth shakes back and forth. As a result, the house
         shakes back and forth.

  2. Constructing the Chart

    1. Draw a box with the title CAUSE in it. If there is more than one cause, draw additional boxes. Ask yourself WHY? and the information that answers that question is the cause.The cause will usually follow the following signal words: BECAUSE, AS A RESULT OF, SINCE.
    2. Write the cause in the CAUSE box.
    3. Draw a box with the title EFFECT in it. If there is more than one effect, draw additional boxes. Ask yourself WHAT HAPPENED? The information that answers that question will be the effect. The effect will usually follow these signal words: SO, THEN, AS A RESULT.
    4. Write the effect in the EFFECT box.
    5. Draw an arrow from the cause to the effect. If there are several causes or effects, draw additional arrows.

  3. Making a Cause and Effect Chart

    Make a Cause and Effect Chart, using the paragraph found in the assessment.

  4. Share (Extension)

    Share examples from your local community by entering the indicated cause and effect statements into the data form Cause and Effect.

Teacher Notes

  • Cause and Effect Charts are useful in enhancing student understanding by noting relationships visually. This Aurora tool is useful for teachers, too, because teachers can learn more about how to present information to students in an organized, easy-to-understand process.

  • 15 minutes

Learner Notes

  • You can use cause and effect charts to organize information in a manner that easily shows you the relationship of what happened and why.

Mentor Notes

  • Help your daughter or son understand the relationship between causes and effects of various information by asking him/her the following questions.

    • What happened? This will be the effect.
    • Why did it happen? This will be the cause.

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