This document provides instruction on writing cause and effect sentences for 3rd grade students. It defines cause as what makes something happen and effect as what happens as a result. Students are taught to look for joining words like "because", "so", and "due to" and are shown examples of cause and effect sentence structures. The document provides writing tips and prompts students to practice writing their own cause and effect sentences using joining words.

1. Cause and Effect
Communication Arts
3rd
grade

2. 03/29/14 MAPTAP 2004 2
Teacher’s Page
Content Area: Language Arts
Created By: Jami Polly
Grade: 3rd
Objective: Students will make
inferences based on details from the
story and prior knowledge in order to
draw conclusions.

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Writing About Cause and Effect
• What is a CAUSE?
– It is what makes something happen
• (Example: The floor was wet...)
• What is an EFFECT?
– It is what happens
• (Example: so, I slipped and fell.)

4. 03/29/14 MAPTAP 2004 4
Writing Tips
• Look for words such
as…
– Since
– So
– Because
– Therefore
– Due to the fact
…to join
cause and effect
sentences.
• Use cause and effect
in paragraphs to
explain how things
work
OR
• how something
happens.

5. 03/29/14 MAPTAP 2004 5
Two things have to happen in a
cause and effect sentence!
• A CAUSE is what makes something happen.
• An EFFECT is what happens as a result of the
cause.
• Look at the pictures below.
• What is the cause?________________
• What will be the effect?_______________
The needle
The balloon will pop

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Look at the pictures below.
Match the CAUSE with the EFFECT
• Cause • Effect
GREAT JOB!!

7. 03/29/14 MAPTAP 2004 7
Remember these tips…
• The CAUSE happens FIRST
– Ask yourself, what had to happen first?
• The EFFECT happens SECOND
– Ask yourself, what happened last?
• Also: C before E (In the alphabet)
– Cause before Effect!
• Look for clue words
– Because, since, so, on account of, due to the
fact

8. 03/29/14 MAPTAP 2004 8
Certain words join cause and
effect sentences.
I bought Dan a present BECAUSE it was
his birthday.
- What is the cause? ________________
- What is the effect? ________________
- What is the word that join the cause and
effect? _______
It was Dan’s birthday
I bought him a present
Because

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What other words help to join
cause and effect sentences?
• The ice cream was melting AS A RESULT
OF the hot weather.
– What is the cause?________________
– What is the effect?________________
– What is the joining clue word?___________
The hot weather
The ice cream melted
As a result of

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Which words join the cause and
effect parts of a sentence?
• I told Ellen to come home because it was time for
dinner. _________
• The school was closed yesterday on account of
the snowy weather. ___________
• Sara could not go to the party due to the fact that
she was sick. ____________
• I saved ten dollars as the result of putting one
dollar in my bank every week.____________
because
on account of
due to the fact
as the result of

11. 03/29/14 MAPTAP 2004 11
On a piece of paper, Write a cause and
effect ending for each sentence below.
• USE THE WORDS THAT JOIN THEM
• Because, since, on account of, due to the fact
1. I had to wear boots to school _________
________________________________
2. I like you _________________________
3. Alan had to stay after school _________
________________________________
4. We are having a party_______________

12. 03/29/14 MAPTAP 2004 12
Time to Write!!
• On a separate sheet of paper write four
cause and effect sentences of your own!
• Be sure to use words that join the cause
and effect parts in each of your sentences.
• REMEMBER: C before E!!
GREAT JOB!