Thinking with Technology

Activity 7.2

Step 2: Understanding Cause and Effect

Many concepts are better understood when their causes and effects are known and clearly identified. The cause explains why something happens. The effect describes what happens. In cause-and-effect relationships, you can say:

Because of X, Y happens

X affects Y

X results in Y

Y is caused by X

Examples of cause-and-effect relationships:

Because of the moon’s gravitational pull, there are tides.
The amount of light given to a plant affects its growth.
Dumping chemical waste in a river results in polluted water.
The forest fire started because of an untended campfire.

Map building is needed when investigating a complex problem or issue that involves multiple influences that impact the outcomes in a system. For instance, the simple statement above, an unattended campfire started a forest fire, may actually involve more complex issues than the statement implies. Intermediary factors may need to be investigated when determining all factors that contributed to the cause of the forest fire, such as drought, weather conditions, forest management policies, campground safety issues, fire safety education, and so forth. When learners revise maps, encourage them to
re-examine how direct relationships are between two factors. For example, does drought directly cause fire? Other factors may be involved between drought and fire.

Helping to Identify Cause-and-Effect Relationships

When discussing cause and effect with your learners, it may be helpful to talk about words that signal a cause-and-effect relationship. Review those in the table below.

Words that may signal a cause	Words that may signal an effect
as a result of reasons for ... are because if in that since for after due to (the fact) when	so then therefore resulting in leads to for this reason consequently as a consequence hence thus accordingly nevertheless is necessary for/to

Note: Click here to see more synonyms for the words cause and effect.

Learners often confuse the words affect and effect. You may need to clarify the use of these two words.

Affect (verb) means to influence.

Examples:

Laura’s lack of sleep affected her science test grade.
The wheat crop was adversely affected by the drought.

Effect (noun) means the result.

Examples:

The negative health effects of cigarettes are well-known, but people still smoke.
Poor grades are often the effect of not studying.

For additional teaching strategies and Web resources for helping learners understand cause and effect, visit:

Reading

Click here for information about causal fallacies and relationships that are not cause and effect.
Click here to read more about cause and effect.

Next: Proceed to Step 3 of Activity 7.2