Mini-Lesson

Cause and Effect

Grades 4-6

Students will identify causes and effects of wildfires.

1. Before passing out the latest timeforkids.com news story, A Fierce Firestorm read the headline and subheadline aloud. Ask: What is a wildfire? (A fire that spreads quickly over a wide area). Then ask, "What information do you think might be included in this article?"

2. Next, pass out the article. Have half the group underline the causes of the latest California wildfires (record heat, low humidity and strong, dry Santa Ana winds gusting up to 75 miles per hour). Have the other half of the group list the effects of wildfires. (Possible answers include people were forced to evacuate the area, homes were destroyed and classes were cancelled in the local schools.)

3. Have students share causes and effects of wildfires that they found in the article. End the lesson by pointing out that in the first paragraph the writer quickly tells the readers what has happened as a result of the wildfires. Then in the next paragraph, she explains what caused the fires to spread. Point out that in news articles the writer puts the most important information in the very beginning. Encourage students to look for this in other news articles they read on timeforkids.com.