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English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 60 minutes

Cause and effect: why did it happen?

Reading Comprehension

CCSS RI.2.3CCSS RL.2.3England: Y2 ReadingEngland: KS1 SATs Reading

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Cause and effect: why did it happen?.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Key details

Leads to: Cause and effect in texts: since, as a result, therefore

Materials: A short text or extract (one copy each), Highlighters, Question cards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Key details). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Ducks have webbed feet. The skin between their toes helps them paddle. What helps ducks paddle? (their beaks / their tails / their feathers / the skin between their toes) → the skin between their toesPrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.
  2. Squirrels bury nuts in autumn. In winter, they dig them up to eat. When do squirrels dig up the nuts? (at night / in summer / in winter / in spring) → in winterPrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.
  3. Dev lost his tooth at school. He put it under his pillow that night. Where did Dev put his tooth? (under his pillow / on the table / in his bag / in a cup) → under his pillowPrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.

Hook · 6 min

  • Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
  • Share the objective: Cause and effect: why did it happen?. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: The library got lots of new books, so more children started visiting after school. What happened because the library got new books?
  • Step 1: Find the event, then look for what made it happen (cause) or what it led to (effect).
  • Step 2: So the answer is: More children visited.
  • Answer: More children visited.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. The wind blew so hard that our tent fell down in the night. What happened because the wind blew hard? (The tent fell down. / We built a fire. / We went to sleep. / It started to snow.) → The tent fell down.Prompt: A cause is WHY something happens. An effect is WHAT happens.
  2. Choose the word that links the cause and the effect. The ice melted ___ the sun was hot. (but / because / so / or) → becausePrompt: A cause is WHY something happens. An effect is WHAT happens.

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Jada forgot to water her sunflower for two weeks, so its leaves went brown and droopy. Why did the leaves go brown? (It was too sunny. / A rabbit ate it. / Jada forgot to water it. / It got too much water.) → Jada forgot to water it.Prompt: A cause is WHY something happens. An effect is WHAT happens.
  2. Choose the word that links the cause and the effect. The alarm didn't ring, ___ I woke up late. (because / so / but / or) → soPrompt: A cause is WHY something happens. An effect is WHAT happens.

Watch out for

  • Answering from memory or opinion instead of evidence in the text.
  • Copying a long quote without explaining what it shows.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Key details.
  • Use concrete materials: a short text or extract (one copy each).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Cause and effect in texts: since, as a result, therefore.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-2.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Cause and effect: why did it happen?

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    The library got lots of new books, so more children started visiting after school. What happened because the library got new books?

    • A. Children stopped reading.
    • B. The library closed.
    • C. The books were lost.
    • D. More children visited.

  2. Question 2

    Choose the word that links the cause and the effect. We stayed inside ___ it was storming.

    • A. or
    • B. and
    • C. because
    • D. so

  3. Question 3

    The lake froze over during the cold night, so the ducks walked on the ice. Why did the ducks walk on the ice?

    • A. They were tired of swimming.
    • B. The water was too warm.
    • C. They wanted bread.
    • D. The lake froze over.

  4. Question 4

    Choose the word that links the cause and the effect. The plant grew tall ___ it had lots of light.

    • A. or
    • B. so
    • C. but
    • D. because

  5. Question 5

    Leo practised his spelling every night. As a result, he got full marks in the test. What was the effect of practising every night?

    • A. He missed the test.
    • B. He was tired.
    • C. He forgot his book.
    • D. He got full marks.

  6. Question 6

    Choose the word that links the cause and the effect. The alarm didn't ring, ___ I woke up late.

    • A. but
    • B. because
    • C. so
    • D. or

  7. Question 7

    Choose the word that links the cause and the effect. The ice melted ___ the sun was hot.

    • A. so
    • B. because
    • C. or
    • D. but

  8. Question 8

    The wind blew so hard that our tent fell down in the night. What happened because the wind blew hard?

    • A. The tent fell down.
    • B. It started to snow.
    • C. We built a fire.
    • D. We went to sleep.

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Answer key: Cause and effect: why did it happen?

  1. 1. D. More children visited.

  2. 2. C. because

  3. 3. D. The lake froze over.

  4. 4. D. because

  5. 5. D. He got full marks.

  6. 6. C. so

  7. 7. B. because

  8. 8. A. The tent fell down.