Cause and Effect in Reverse

Directions: We have been working on cause and effect situations (and how to solve them in reverse) since the beginning of the school year. Now it is time to not only review the actual cause and effect events, but to solve them in reverse...and then to select one you would like to write about! The Google Slides I previously showed you accompany and prepare you for this lesson!

First, in cause and effect order:

1. If the cause is:
Practicing often will improve skills in which you feel less confident.
A possible effect could be:
Your turn:

2. If the cause is:
Glaciers are melting faster than ever these days.
A possible effect could be:
Your turn:

Next we will reverse the order -- I will provide the effect first, and you will give me the cause.

3. If the effect is:
The attention span of students is decreasing significantly.
A possible cause could be:
Your turn:

4. If the effect is:
Small businesses have taken the greatest hit this year.
A possible cause could be:


5. If the effect is:
Schools should provide different types of learning to accommodate all students' needs.
A possible cause could be:


6. If the effect is:
Being patient and flexible at work are wonderful qualities to possess.
A possible cause could be:


7. If the effect is:
Showing children the difference between right and wrong at an early age can prove to be beneficial in their adult lives.
A possible cause could be:


8. If the effect is:
Pausing to think a problem through can stop a person from making a big mistake.
A possible cause could be:

Next, please select one of the "effects" from the examples shown above to use as your main argument in your next five-paragraph essay! This essay will be due on Wednesday, and unlike previous essays in which we went through rough drafts first, we are striving for a final product on the first try! This involves self-editing as you write, which we will review in class (I will provide a handout on this, as well). We are preparing for the HiSET in which you are not able to go through all the usual steps in creating a piece of writing -- we actually have to get to that end result right off the bat! 

[Remember -- you are providing a quick outline for yourself by listing the effect and three causes immediately on a piece of paper before beginning to write. These three causes will become your three middle, supporting paragraphs; all you need to do is write a clever intro that includes that main argument (the "effect") and a strong closing paragraph that leaves your reader knowing exactly how you stand on the subject you are writing about!!]

​You all can do this quite well, and I'm looking forward to seeing your latest accomplishment!! Share it in a Google Doc for faster feedback from me!

Good Luck!
Maria