Understanding Cause and Effect

Students will learn about cause and effect as they understand the consequences man faces when time travel is attempted.   Includes cross-curricular ties to science. This lesson includes a short story with cause and effect relationships and also includes some cross-curricular ties to science in a supplemental piece about ecosystems.

Weblink address (URL): 
Understanding Cause and Effect

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

Students will:

  • Use their imaginations as they determine what time period they would like to visit.
  • Listen to the short story A Sound of Thunder.
  • Retell parts of the short story A Sound of Thunder.
  • Respond to the short story A Sound of Thunder by writing cause/effect outcomes about the ecosystem.

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding

Helpful Hints

Materials:

  • LCD Projector
  • Screen
  • Computer Lab or Classroom computers
  • Time Travel PowerPoint Presentation - Student Sample (PPT)
  • The Butterfly Effect Printable (PDF)
  • I use the short story A Sound of Thunder as a read aloud for this lesson. You may want to choose one from your library or substitute books about time travel like these: The Time Bike by Jane Langton or The Orphan of Ellis Island: A Time-Travel Adventure by Elvira Woodruff
  • Transparency
  • Overhead Projector

References

Contributors: 
Tonya Malone
Originator: 
Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation