Writing in the
History Classroom
California History-Social Science Project
1
Cause & Effect
In order to examine change over time, cause and effect writing focuses on why things
happen (causes) and what happens as a result (effects).
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of another event or effect.
Strategies for teaching Cause & Effect writing
This lesson uses a focus textbook passage, two cause and effect graphic organizers/charts (student and teacher copies) and strategies
to support cause and effect writing. At the end of the section are the rubric, prompt, and student work samples to show a variety of
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Cause and Effect Chart
This graphic organizer prompts students to identify both the cause and effect within a given situation. Students can sketch or write
an example of a cause and effect from a situation in their own lives.
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I often use expository text strategies in my classroom, but cause and
effect writing allowed me to dig deeper into types of writing and how
to decipher these.
– Evaluation response from anonymous teacher, August 18,
Cause and Effect Short Term-Long Term Chart
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historical situation. Students can make short-term, long-term, and longer-term connections between historical events and actions.
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Rubrics & Student Work
Rubrics are a great way to effectively lay out the required expectations for good writing. Rubrics provide consistency in grading,
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statements.
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California State Content Standards
10.5 Students analyze the causes and course of the
First World War
10.5.1 Analyze the arguments for entering into war
presented by leaders from all sides
of the Great War and the role of political and
economic rivalries, ethnic and ideological
conflicts, domestic discontent and disorder, and
propaganda and nationalism in mobilizing
the civilian population in support of “total war.”
10.5.4 Understand the nature of war and its
human costs (military and civilian) on all
sides of the conflict, including how colonial
peoples contributed to the war effort.
n 10.5.5 Discuss human rights violations and
genocide,
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summary paragraph.
Armenian Genocide
World War I, in the lands of the Ottoman Empire.
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In addition to modern day Turkey, that large empire
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included what are now Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel,
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Palestine, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. At one time,
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the empire also extended into the Balkan region of
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Southeastern Europe. Although the great majority of the
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Ottoman Empire’s inhabitants were Muslims, there were
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also large Armenian, Jewish, and Kurdish communities.
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When World War I broke out, the Armenian population
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was spread across both the Ottoman (2,100,000) and
territory. The Armenian genocide took place during
Russian (1,700,000) empires. Since these
Textbook Excerpt
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population of Armenia has been massacring Armenians .
Armenians were left with a terrible dilemma. If they
Inhabitants of about one hundred villages near Van
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were all murdered.
fellow Armenians. If they refused to join the army,
they could be imprisoned. During World War I, Turkish
authorities forcibly deported Armenian families from
their homeland. The deportees were taken to
concentration camps hundreds of miles away, to the
desert regions of what are
now Syria and Iraq. Families of Armenian deportees on
the road Armenians were often given the choice of either
converting to Islam or being deported. The wives of
Armenian soldiers were often forced to marry Muslims.
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in the desert. Without proper food and
shelter, Many of them died along the way. Many of the
Armenian prisoners in the camps— including women
and children—were eventually killed, even though they
were unarmed. In April 1916 a German witness at the
Ras-ul-Ain camp reported that “every day for almost a
month 300 to 500 victims were taken from the camp and
slain.” An original telegram sent by the U.S. Department
of State to the Turkish government, warning
them to end the massacre of Armenians. Part of the
message reads: For about a month the Kurd and Turkish
Cause and Effect
A strategy to support identifying cause and effect in writing a paragraph.
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What do we mean by EFFECT?
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Cause and Effect
Teacher Answer
Key Sample answers
A strategy to support identifying cause and effect in writing a paragraph.
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Student sketch or written explanation of an event goes here.
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Cause and Effect
A strategy to support identifying cause and effect in writing a paragraph.
Cause and Effect
Teacher Answer
Key Sample answers
A strategy to support identifying cause and effect in writing a paragraph.
Armenian
Land was
taken over
by the
Russians
and
Ottomans.
Men go to war.
Women had to
convert to Islam
& marry a Muslim
or be sent to a
concentration camp.
No family left when
the men returned
home.
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Were killed or died
on the way to the
concentration camp.
Genocide
Armenian culture
lost.
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Armenians who
survived and the
Ottoman Muslims.
Genocide.
Refugees.
Many had to
relocate.
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