Teacher Education Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: Miss Mitchell Date: February 21st, 2020

Title of Lesson: Identifying Cause and Effect Cooperating Teacher: Ms. Nance
Relationships and How They Help Us
Understand the Characters

Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic:
English; Language Arts; Reading
Student Population:
19 students; General Education;
10 Female: 9 African American; 1 Hispanic
9 Male: 8 African American; 1 Caucasian
Learning Objectives:
ELA.4.5.2 Draw conclusions and/or make inferences using the text as support.
ELA.4.5.8 Identify cause and effect relationships.
Virginia Essential Knowledge and Skills (SOL):
4.5 - The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction, and poetry.
h) Draw conclusions/make inferences about text using the text as support.
j) Identify cause-and-effect relationships.
VDOE Technology Standards:
N/A
English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS):
N/A
Materials/Resources:
Those Darn Squirrels (Shared Reading title)
Those Darn Squirrels Book Organizer
Cause and Effect Organizer
High Yield Instructional Strategies Used (Marzano, 2001)
Check if Used Strategy Return
Identifying Similarities & Differences 45%
X Summarizing & Note Taking 34%
X Reinforcing Efforts & Providing Recognition 29%
X Homework & Practice 28%
Nonlinguistic Representations 27%
X Cooperative Learning 23%
X Setting Goals & Providing Feedback 23%
Generating & Testing Hypothesis 23%
X Questions, Cues, & Advanced Organizers 22%
DOES YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL INPUT & MODELING YIELD THE POSITIVE
RETURNS YOU WANT FOR YOUR STUDENTS?
Check if Used Strategy Return
X Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning 95%
X Practice by Doing 75%
X Discussion 50%
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 X Demonstration 30%
Audio Visual 20%
X Reading 10%
Lecture 05%
Safety (if applicable):

Time
(min.) Process Components
*Anticipatory Set:
Teacher Note: It is important for students to recognize and understand that cause and effect
relationships propel the reader forward through the plot. One event causes another event to happen.
This lesson will take the students to the next step of identifying how the cause and effect
relationships help readers understand the characters. Additionally, it will explore how multiple
effects can happen from one cause.

TTW explain that Cause and effect can be one event causing another, but it can also be one event
5 that causes multiple other events to happen. As we read the story “Those Darn Squirrels”, we will
mins. look for examples of cause and effect relationships in the plot. While we are reading, notice how I
stop to ask myself questions to help me understand the cause for something and the effects it has.
When I stop while reading, we will look at an organizer, and you will turn and talk with your
partner to share your thinking.

TTW reveal the learning target for the lesson:

 I can identify cause and effect relationships in fictional text and how they help me
understand the characters.
*State the Objectives (grade-level terms):
1-2 I can…identify cause and effect relationships in fictional text.
mins.
I can…determine how cause and effect help me understand the characters.
20-30 *Instructional Input or Procedure:
mins. TTW pause at p. 8 and instruct the students to look at their organizer. Model how to think about
cause and effect by asking questions. When I want to think about cause and effect, it helps me to
stop and ask myself questions. For example, what would make Fookwire sad? I remember reading
that the old man would become sad when the air turned crisp, and the leaves began to change
color. So, these things must be the cause for Fookwire becoming sad. What does this tell us about
Fookwire? The book said that he liked birds and painted birds all summer. He knew when the air
became crisp, and the leaves began to change color, the birds would soon fly south, and Fookwire
would be lonely. This tells me Fookwire enjoyed having the birds around and didn’t want them to
leave for the winter.

TTW model how to fill out the first box of the graphic organizer.

TSW record on graphic organizer in own words or using the teacher’s model.

TTW repeat the process stopping after p. 9. This time, model how to identify the cause, making
note of the language on the graphic organizer and reminding students to think about what it tells us
about the character. As I was reading, I noticed that Old Man Fookwire tried to resolve his conflict
of not wanting the birds to leave.  Birds began coming from all over the forest to eat in his yard. I
have to ask myself, why did this happen? What caused the birds to come? What do you think
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 caused them to come?
TTW provide students the opportunity to turn and talk to identify the cause. As students turn and
talk, monitor students’ conversations and address misconceptions and misunderstandings. Have
students share their thoughts and model filling in the cause on the organizer.

TSW record on graphic organizer in own words or using the teacher’s model.

TTW model thinking aloud about what these events tell us about the characters. This tells me that
the birds like seeds and berries, and that Fookwire is smart enough to know how to get them to
come to his yard. I also think it probably made Fookwire feel happy and proud that his plan
seemed to work. He was able to get the birds to come, and I guess we will soon find out if they will
stay throughout the year or if building the bird feeders will cause other events to happen. Model
how to fill out the organizer appropriately. 

TSW record on graphic organizer using own words or using the teacher’s model.

TTW continue reading and stop after p. 13. Model thinking aloud about how sometimes events can
have more than one effect. After reading these pages, I noticed that when the squirrels took food
from the bird feeders, more than one thing happened as a result. Not only did it make the birds
unhappy, but it also made Fookwire unhappy. He shook his fist and yelled at the squirrels.  I see
on the organizer where there are two spaces to write in effects. I will write about how the birds felt
and what Fookwire did when he saw what the squirrels did. Model how to fill in the organizer
appropriately with both effects.   
Then model how to determine what these events tell us about the characters. Now I need to
determine what I can learn about the characters from these events. I can tell that Fookwire does
not like squirrels as much as he likes birds, because he didn’t want them to eat the food. I can also
tell that the birds appreciate the bird feeders, but they do not appreciate the squirrels sharing their
food. Model adding this information to the organizer.

TSW record responses on the organizer in their own words.

*Modeling:
TTW model how to think about cause and effect by asking questions. TTW model how to fill out
the boxes of the graphic organizer. TTW repeat the process throughout the book, modeling how to
8-10 identify the cause, making note of the language on the graphic organizer, also reminding students
mins. to think about what it tells us about the character. TTW model thinking aloud about what these
events tell us about the characters. TTW model thinking aloud about how sometimes events can
have more than one effect. TTW then model how to determine what these events tell us about the
characters.
*Check for Understanding:
TTW check for understanding by walking around the room reading and discussing while also
glancing at students’ graphic organizers. TTW make sure that the students are staying on task by
how much information they have written in their organizer.
20 *Guided Practice:
mins. TTW continue with the process above and invite students to discuss and record their thinking in
pairs or individually.
(To fill in the 4th and 5th places on the graphic organizer, look at pages 22 and 28)
4 – p. 22
th

5 – p. 28 
th

Before reading pages 29-32, TTW explain to students that sometimes a cause has an effect and that
effect becomes a cause for another effect. It is a chain of events. This is what they should listen for
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 in the last few pages of the book. Something causes Fookwire to turn the bird feeders into squirrel
feeders and paint them. Listen for the cause of that event and then listen for an effect of that event
also.
TTW allow students to discuss in pairs and fill in the last row of the organizer while the teacher
monitors for understanding. Discuss as a class after the organizer is complete.

If additional practice is needed, this process may be completed using a different book.
*Independent Practice:
Will occur during small group with instructional leveled text. The cause and effect organizer may
10 be used.
mins. Students may be formatively assessed on their understanding of cause and effect relationships
during small group instruction. In addition, students may complete the cause and effect graphic
organizer independently to demonstrate an understanding of this concept.
Assessment:
TTW record observational data during student discussions.
After modeling and guided practice, TTW use a portion of the book organizer to collect formative
data.
The Cause and Effect Organizer can be used by students with a different text and collected as an
independent assessment of proficiency in the objective.
*Closure:
TTW bring closure to the lesson by restating the learning target and how it helps us as readers to
understand the text we are reading.
5 TSW think about and discuss the following questions. 
mins.  How does my knowledge of cause and effect relationships help me understand a text?
 How does identifying the cause and effect relationships help me understand the characters
better?
 How can I use my knowledge of cause and effect relationships in my own writing?

Differentiation Strategies (enrichment, accommodations, remediation, or by learning style):

TTW consider providing a cause/effect paragraph frame for students needing additional support (see first
graphic organizer).
TTW consider using differentiated questions for students ready for enrichment [e.g., What would be the
consequences of __________ (different actions)?].
Lower Level: The first graphic organizer is provided for students who need more assistant
navigating the book to find the certain information needed to fill in the organizer properly.
At Level: The second graphic organizer allows student to navigate the book on their own. TSW go
to the pages listed and find the information on their own. TSW write all information in their own
words.
Higher Level: The last graphic organizer can be used for any books for students to find the causes
and effects not only in Those Darn Squirrels. The organizer is blank and allows students to use
critical thinking to determine different causes and effects in all different types of books.
Classroom Management Issues (optional):

Lesson Critique. To be completed following the lesson. Did your students meet the objective(s)? What part
of the lesson would you change? Why?

*Denotes Madeline Hunter lesson plan elements.

Intern Signature Cooperating Teacher Signature Date

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 Those Darn Squirrels 
By Adam Rubin

When… Then… What does this

tell us about
the
characters?
Page 8
Old Man Fookwire
became sad.

Page 9
Birds came from all
over the forest to eat
in Fookwire’s yard.
Pages 12-13 1.
The squirrels took
food from the bird 2.
feeders for winter.
Pages 20-22 1.
The squirrels
devised a plan to 2.
launch themselves
onto the 3.
birdfeeders.

Page 27-28
The squirrels gave
Old Man Fookwire a
gift.
Pages 30-32
Fookwire turned the
bird feeders into
squirrel feeders and
painted until his brush
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 ran out of bristles.

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 Those Darn Squirrels 
By Adam Rubin

When… Then… What does this

tell us about
the
characters?
Page 8

Page 9

Pages 12-13 1.

2.

Pages 20-22 1.

2.

3.

Page 27-28

Pages 30-32

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 Cause and Effect Organizer
What happened? Why did it happen?

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015