Hogan 1
Georgia Standards Lesson Plan Format
http://www.georgiastandards.org/
Name:
Kevin Hogan
School:
Middle School somewhere in the state of Georgia
Lesson Title:
Chronological Order/Cause & Effect: What’s Up With Those?
Annotation:
This lesson is all about chronological order and cause & effect. Both of these components of writing are
keys to a good story. Without them the characters are lost in space and time and quickly take the readers
with them. Understanding chronological order and cause & effect will help the students create a better
continuation of The Giver that they will be writing at a later time.
Primary Learning Outcome:
The student will be able to:
1. Associate chronology with storytelling.
2. Create a timeline to show chronological order.
3. Differentiate between cause and effect
Assumptions of Prior Knowledge:


Basic knowledge of chronological order
Reading ability on 8th grade level
Assessed GPS’s:
ELA8W1 The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a
context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and signals a satisfying closure.
The student:
c. Uses traditional structures for conveying information (e.g., chronological order, cause and effect,
similarity and difference, and posing and answering a question).
Non-Assessed GPS:
ELA8W1 The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a
context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and signals a satisfying closure.
The student:
a. Selects a focus, organizational structure, and a point of view based on purpose, genre expectations,
audience, length, and format requirements.
d. Uses appropriate structures to ensure coherence (e.g., transition elements, parallel structure).
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National Standards:
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for
learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Computer with a projector
Power Point (electronic copy and hard copy)
Blank Timeline Graphic Organizers
Blank Cause & Effect Graphic Organizers
Poem of the day
Quote of the day
Dry erase markers
Total Duration:
55 minutes
Technology Connection:
1. Computer and projector for lecture purpose
a. Power Point
Procedures:
1. Warm-up Writing (~10 minutes)
a. Prompt for students to use if they need a jumping off point can be written on board or
included in Power Point
i. The most important thing in my life is . . .
2. Poem of the Day (~2 minutes)
a. Boa Constrictor by Shel Silverstein
i. Attached at end of document for use on projector
ii. Can be written on board or included in Power Point
3. Quote of the Day (~1 minute)
a. “Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.” – Mark Twain
b. Can be written on board or included in Power Point
4. Lecture (~15 minutes)
a. Power Point Presentation
i. Chronological order and cause & effect presentation.
1. Assess what students know about cause & effect already.
a. Ask students questions to create conversation.
i. What is cause & effect?
ii. Is cause & effect necessary when writing?
2. Assess what students know about chronological order.
a. Ask students questions to create conversation.
i. Who knows what chronological order is?
ii. Why is chronological order important?
5. Practice, Practice, Practice (~20 minutes)
a. Create a character with students help.
i. Ask students questions to develop the character.
Hogan 3
1. Male or Female?
2. Name?
3. What are some things that have happened to the character during their
life?
b. Individual completion of a timeline using character created by class.
c. Guide students in filling in the cause & effect graphic organizer.
i. Ask students for an event that has been in the news to use on graphic organizer.
6. Wrap Session (~7 minutes)
a. Ask students questions to assess comprehension.
i. What is chronological order?
ii. What is cause & effect?
iii. Why are they important?
b. 3-2-1
i. 3 things you are certain about from today’s lesson
ii. 2 things you are pretty sure about from today’s lesson
iii. 1 thing you have no clue about from today’s lesson
Assessment:
1. Asking questions of students before, during, and after lesson.
2. Completion of graphic organizers.
3. 3-2-1
Extension:
If students already know both concepts being taught I might briefly cover the concepts along with more of
the concepts listed in the targeted GPS. In doing this it might allow for more time actually writing the
story they will be writing later.
Remediation:
If students struggle with this lesson I might consider splitting the two concepts apart and teaching them on
separate days. In doing this I would be able to spend more time on each concept to guarantee students are
able to master them both.
Works Cited and Consulted:
Brainy Quote. Xplore, Inc. Mark Twain Quotes. Web. 13 November 2011.
Hubbard, Daphne. “Chain of Events.” PDF file.
Hubbard, Daphne. “Timeline Organizer.” Microsoft Word file.
Silverstein, Shel. “Boa Constrictor.” Where the Sidewalk Ends. New York: Harper Collins, 1974. 45.
Print.
Hogan 4
Boa Constrictor by Shel Silverstein
Oh, I'm being eaten
By a boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor,
And I don't like it--one bit.
Well, what do you know?
It's nibblin' my toe.
Oh, gee,
It's up to my knee.
Oh my,
It's up to my thigh.
Oh, fiddle,
It's up to my middle.
Oh, heck,
It's up to my neck.
Oh, dread,
It's upmmmmmmmmmmffffffffff . . .
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Timeline Organizer: Title ______________________________________
Timelines help determine the sequence of major events, cause – effect relationships, and how events influence people.
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