Cause and Effect
Purpose: To identify the cause and effect
To solve the problem of getting from one location to another
Materials: Toothpicks, twigs, yarn, string, glue, paper straws, and rocks
Time: 1 hour Class Size: Up to 26 (working in pairs)
Problem
The following selection illustrates the cause-and-effect pattern. The outline at the end of the passage depicts the cause-and effect relationships within the discourse.
________________ (A student's name) just received a new $100.00 bill. The giver told him that if she shared equal amounts of it with 9 other people not in her household she would receive (10) $100.00 bills. But there is a catch. He/She lived on an island four miles from the nearest body of land. A brother and sister who would not be returning to the island for five more days were using the only boat they had. According to the letter he/she had to complete the task of sharing the money in two (2) days. He/She tried to swim the distance, but got tired and swam back. He/She tried to call to the mainland, but the lines were dead due to the recent tropical storm. He/She thought to put (9) separate $10.00 bills into (10) bottles and launch them towards the mainland, but there would be no proof of who received the money if anyone did or it might all go to the same person. As _________________ (student's name) look around the island and in the house he/she noticed some useful items and came up with an idea. How about creating a bridge to reach from the island to the mainland? Some of the items collected were twigs, toothpicks, string, yarn, glue paper straw, rocks, and paper.
Challenge
The challenge to you is to use any combination of the same or similar materials and build a model of the type of bridge ___________ (student's name) could build so that he or she can acquire the money. The model has to be at least three (3) feet long, 3-4 inches wide, and hold at least ½ pound. I'm sure there is a little reward in it for you too!
Cause and Effect Outline
Complete the cause and effect outline based on the story above and add to it your experiences while building the bridge.
CAUSE EFFECT
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Conclusion: How did your bridge hold up? What made it successful or not successful?
Compare and Contrast - a pattern of text organization
By determining how things are alike and how they are different, comparison-contrast discourse goes beyond simple descriptions to present relationships between and among topics. Text patterns of this sort provide answers to the questions "How are ____ and ____ alike?" "How are ___ and ___ different?", and "How are these things related to each other or to another factor?"
The following passage presents a comparison-contrast format for a discussion about one brand of bowling ball versus another. The outline presented after the passage categorizes in a systematic way the details of the written discourse.
Hammer vs. Champion
I went to the bowling pro shop to buy a new bowling ball. There were two name brand balls I liked, Hammer and Champion, but I had only enough money for one. They both cost about the same price. Both balls had shiny surfaces, but the Hammer was blue with 4 dull light blue spots on it and the Champion was purple. The pro shop owner assured me that both balls would give me the perfect hook shot I've been seeking. I decided to test each brand for comfort and control. I bowled one complete game with the Hammer, and another complete game using the Champion. The Champion gave me a nice, strong hook, but I was able to control the Hammer better. My score with the Champion was 176, but my score with the Hammer was 215. Can you guess which ball went home with me that day?
A comparison-contrast outline is as follows
Likenesses Differences
1. Both had shiny surfaces 1. Hammer blue with 4 light blue dull spots
2. Both would give a perfect hook Champion was purple
3. Both cost about the same price 2. Hammer had better control
4. Bowled a complete game with each 3. Bowled 176 with Champion, bowled 215 with Hammer
Have a copy of the passage for the students to read. Have them tell you the Likenesses and Differences as you write them on the board as I have them here. Did they get them all?
Student activities
1. After reading the passage, ask the students to answer the questions about the format mentioned in the beginning.
2. Make a list of attributes discussed in the passage and ask students to decide if they are shared by both or all subjects under the discussion or not shared.
Let them know that they will be comparing and contrasting bridges. The format we just used will be the one they will use and copy as we go through this lesson. Ask if there are questions to be sure they understand, then have them compare-contrast lunches, sneakers, vacation spots, etc. Be sure to have them go over the three(3) types of bridges.