Activity Overview
Most short stories contain some form of cause and effect. One thing happens, and it causes something else to happen in response. It can be something as simple as “the old woman offered the girl a perfect, red, shiny apple, so she ate it.” It could also be something more complicated, like “the girl had endured so much pain at the hands of her evil step-mother that she had a hard time trusting adults, even when she was one.”
"The Luckiest Time of All" contains a number of things one could argue changed Elzie’s life. She decided to go to the Silas Green Show. She stopped to watch the dancing dog. She hurled her lucky pebble at the dancing dog. All of these choices had consequences. Students should find an event in the story that caused something else to happen. Using a T-Chart, they should label the left side “Cause” and the right side “Effect”. Illustrating both the cause and its effect, students should use the description bars to detail how the first event put the second in motion.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows cause and effect relationships in "Luckiest Time of All". Each cause and effect pair will be shown in the same row.
- On the left side of the T-Chart, illustrate events that show cause (why).
- On the right side of the T-Chart, illustrate events that are the direct effect of that cause.
- Write a description below each cause.
- In the description under each effect, show how the cause and effect are related.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cause | All events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes. These events are why something else happened. | Most events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes or why something else happened. | Few or no events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes or why something else happened. |
| Effect | All events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects. These events are direct results of something else. | Most events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects or direct results of something else. | Few or no events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects or direct results of something else. |
| Images | Images clearly show the events in the story that have been identified as causes and effects. | Images show events from the story, but not all images match the cause and effect events. | Images do not represent the story or are missing. |
| Cause and Effect Relationship | All rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events. | Most rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events. | Few or no rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events. |
Activity Overview
Most short stories contain some form of cause and effect. One thing happens, and it causes something else to happen in response. It can be something as simple as “the old woman offered the girl a perfect, red, shiny apple, so she ate it.” It could also be something more complicated, like “the girl had endured so much pain at the hands of her evil step-mother that she had a hard time trusting adults, even when she was one.”
"The Luckiest Time of All" contains a number of things one could argue changed Elzie’s life. She decided to go to the Silas Green Show. She stopped to watch the dancing dog. She hurled her lucky pebble at the dancing dog. All of these choices had consequences. Students should find an event in the story that caused something else to happen. Using a T-Chart, they should label the left side “Cause” and the right side “Effect”. Illustrating both the cause and its effect, students should use the description bars to detail how the first event put the second in motion.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows cause and effect relationships in "Luckiest Time of All". Each cause and effect pair will be shown in the same row.
- On the left side of the T-Chart, illustrate events that show cause (why).
- On the right side of the T-Chart, illustrate events that are the direct effect of that cause.
- Write a description below each cause.
- In the description under each effect, show how the cause and effect are related.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cause | All events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes. These events are why something else happened. | Most events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes or why something else happened. | Few or no events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes or why something else happened. |
| Effect | All events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects. These events are direct results of something else. | Most events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects or direct results of something else. | Few or no events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects or direct results of something else. |
| Images | Images clearly show the events in the story that have been identified as causes and effects. | Images show events from the story, but not all images match the cause and effect events. | Images do not represent the story or are missing. |
| Cause and Effect Relationship | All rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events. | Most rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events. | Few or no rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events. |
How Tos about \"Luckiest Time of All\" Cause and Effect
Organize a classroom discussion about cause and effect in stories
Gather students and lead a group conversation focused on identifying cause and effect relationships in familiar stories. This helps students practice critical thinking and strengthens their ability to spot how one event leads to another.
Model how to think aloud while identifying cause and effect
Read a passage from the story and verbalize your thought process as you find a cause and its effect. Demonstrating this skill helps students understand how to break down text and find connections independently.
Guide students to brainstorm cause and effect events before creating charts
Encourage students to list possible events from the story that might have caused something to happen. This prewriting step ensures students have strong examples for their T-Charts and deepens comprehension.
Encourage students to use evidence from the text for each cause and effect pair
Remind students to find and cite specific phrases or sentences from "Luckiest Time of All" to support each event. Using textual evidence builds analytical skills and supports their reasoning.
Facilitate peer sharing of T-Charts to reinforce learning
Invite students to share their T-Charts in small groups or pairs. Discussing different cause and effect examples helps students see multiple perspectives and learn from one another.
Frequently Asked Questions about \"Luckiest Time of All\" Cause and Effect
What is a cause and effect relationship in 'Luckiest Time of All'?
A cause and effect relationship in 'Luckiest Time of All' is when one event (the cause) leads directly to another event (the effect). For example, Elzie decided to go to the Silas Green Show (cause), which resulted in her encountering the dancing dog (effect).
How can I teach cause and effect using 'Luckiest Time of All'?
To teach cause and effect with 'Luckiest Time of All', have students find key events in the story and use a T-Chart to pair each cause with its effect. Encourage illustrations and descriptions to deepen understanding.
What are some examples of cause and effect from 'Luckiest Time of All'?
Examples include: Elzie stopped to watch the dancing dog (cause), which led her to throw a lucky pebble (effect); or throwing the pebble (cause), which changed the course of her day (effect).
Why is it important for students to identify cause and effect in stories?
Identifying cause and effect helps students understand how actions and events are connected, improving reading comprehension and critical thinking about plot development.
What is the best way to structure a cause and effect T-Chart for middle school students?
The best way is to label the left side 'Cause' and the right side 'Effect.' Students should illustrate each pair and write a brief description under each, explaining how the events are linked.
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