1. Created by Kristi Waltke
Cause and Effect
Comprehension Skill
Fourth Grade Unit 3 Week 1
Created by Kristi Waltke

2. Cause and Effect
Hitting the ball with the club causes the ball to move.
Why does the ball move?
Causes and effects are related. An effect is what happens. A cause is why it happens.

3. Cause and Effect
Clue words such as because, so, and cause sometimes signal a cause-effect relationship.
Sometimes you must figure out for yourself that one thing causes another.
Sometimes a cause has more than one effect.

4. Good readers ask themselves why things happen in a story
Good readers ask themselves why things happen in a story. Asking why will help you figure out cause and effect!
When you see the hippo in the pond, you can ask yourself why he got in there. He is probably in the water to cool off.
This is cause and effect.
The hippo was hot.
He got in the water.
Cause
Effect

5. Think about the story.
Why is the stranger lying in the road?

6. so the stranger is lying in the road.
Effect
Cause
so the stranger is lying in the road.
Mr. Bailey hit the stranger with his truck

7. Think about the story.
Why did the stranger try to run away when he opened his eyes?

8. Effect Cause so he tried to run away.
The author said the stranger looked up with terror. He must have been afraid

9. Think about the story.
What effect does the stranger have on the thermometer?

10. so the mercury gets stuck at the bottom.
Effect
Cause
so the mercury gets stuck at the bottom.
The doctor uses the thermometer on the stranger

11. Think about the story.
What happens when the stranger blows on the soup?

12. The stranger blows on the soup
Effects
Cause
then a draft is created
The stranger blows on the soup
and Mrs. Bailey says brr.

13. Think about the story.
What are some details that cause the reader to notice that the stranger is special?

14. So we know that the stranger is special
Causes
Rabbits allow the stranger close.
Effect
So we know that the stranger is special
The stranger doesn’t sweat or get tired with hard work.
The stranger blows with all his might on a green leaf and we see an orange leaf in the picture.

15. Think about the story.
Since the stranger’s visit, the trees around the Bailey’s farm stay green for a week longer than the other trees. Then, they change color in one night. Why?

16. so the trees around the Bailey farm turn differently.
Effect
Cause
so the trees around the Bailey farm turn differently.
The stranger uses his special cold weather power