What Is Teaching Cause and Effect?
New standards across the states now use mystifying words and complex phrasing to state the obvious sometimes. This is the case with one standard we see in every state standard: Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them. Why not just say “teach time lining and determining cause and effect.”
Teaching cause and effect is an easy standard for Social Studies teachers to tackle. Interestingly, this is one standard that has been pulled directly from the History Teacher playbook! We’ve been teaching this standard for decades; maybe even centuries. We just called it what it was: teaching history!
Trends Versus Teaching Chronologically
With most Social Studies or history classes being taught in chronological order, our students easily attain this standard. However, some trends are emerging that can weaken this early taught skill. One is thematic teaching. While themes (and big picture understanding) is vital, in a History class, chronology is very important. Teaching without chronology can lead to confusion or disassociation from a true cause and effect understanding of the past.
Strategies for Teaching Cause and Effect
Still, with most Social Studies classes being taught in chronological order, helping students attain this skill is much easier to achieve than some of the other standards. Nevertheless, there are a few strategies to use to help implement this standard for the greatest student benefit:
Organizational Strategies
- Introduce students to timelining and the idea of identifying events in chronological order from the very first days of school. Use Class Bookmarks with unit listings to help students see the order in which they will be introduced to the different themes or eras in history. Utilize the bookmarks to assign tasks, to check off completed topics, or to implement research projects.
- Have students keep a notebook with maps and timelines for each unit. They can do updated entries each unit or add to one map and timeline that they build through the year. Classroom wall maps and timelines are also great for content reinforcement and to use for content refresher games!
Interactive Strategies
- Assign “Annotated & Illustrated Timelines” as a unit review. The steps required in this assignment serve many purposes.
- It will help students navigate back through their class activity notes to gather information.
- They will re-read content they have studied in the unit.
- They will again process key information.
- Students will practice foundational skills.
- They must order events chronologically.
- The annotations will re-address Standard 2
- Illustrations will help students to visualize and remember the content for later recall.
- Implement a “Silent Timeline Activity.” These are ideal for more sensitive or controversial topics. This activity will deliver the content, require students to place events in order, but also help to make a significant impression on the students with its implemented level of decorum.
- Use Visuals to help students grasp the causes and effects of historic events. From images to charts and graphs, students can see the reality of the events through information that may be missed in text. Walking Tours and Centers Activities, as mentioned with earlier Standards, can help achieve this goal.
For a variety of interactive lessons that can help you to implement this standard, please visit Michele Luck’s Social Studies. Be sure to check out my Timeline Activities and Cause and Effect products!
And be sure to read the rest of this series on Teaching the Standards in the Social Studies classroom!
Happy Teaching!
