Download Using Webs to depict cause/effect relationships

MAKES SENSE HOME
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS HOME
Cause/Effect graphic organizers
Cause/Effect graphics provide effective visual scaffolds that can help students
recognize how different concepts or phenomena can have influence on oneanother. Several variations of webs, frames, circles, and loops can be used to
depict cause/effect patterns of thinking.
Using Webs to depict cause/effect
relationships
Cause/effect relationships can be illustrated using semantic webs. The lines used
to connect ideas are usually depicted as arrows so that the influence that one
factor has on another can be illustrated. For reciprocal or interactional
relationships where different factors impact each other, two-way arrows can be
used.
Causes Starburst
Effects Starburst
Basic
starburst
web
For less
sophisticated
learners, the basic
“star-burst” (see
figures below)
works well as
beginning point for
understanding Cause/Effect information structures. An outwardly pointing arrow
illustrates a divergent relationship whereas inwardly pointing arrows depict
convergent relationships.
As students gain in their understanding of cause/effect relationships and become
more sophisticated about webbing ideas, you can expand the basic starbursts
into semantic webs depicting multiple layers of information.
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
Poor
circulation
Lung
Cancer
Lip, Tongue,
Throat
Cancer
Addiction
Heart
disease
Medical
Bills
Cancer
Decreased
athletic
ability
Health
Science
example
The Divergent
Cause/Effect
Web could be
used to
facilitate
understanding
of the effects
of specific life
styles or
behaviors....
Heart
attack
Shortness
of breath
Expensive
Burn
holes in
clothes
Fire
hazard
SMOKING
Bed,
Furniture,
Cars,
Home
burn-up
Coughing
Reduced
sense of
taste
Personal
appearance
Respiratory
Infections
Food tastes
bland
Stained teeth,
hands
Smelly breath,
hair, clothes
loss of
appetite
Emphysema
Bronchitis
The Convergent Cause/Effect Web could be used to facilitate understanding of
the different factors that influence a specific behavior....
"Do as I say,
don't do as I do"
(modeling)
Parents not
around much
lack of effective
education about
hazards
feeling
invincible
lot of profit in
cigarette
sales
girlfriends
smoke
lack of
structure at
home
disposable
income
importance of
saving not
stressed
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
tobacco co.
targeting
girls
peer
pressure
why so
many girls
smoke
erroneous
beliefs
parents don't want
daughter to be
deprived so loose
with $$
teenagers easily
influenced by
slick ads
female
exclusion
from sports
graphicorganizers.com
told not to
express
personal
power
seems
grown up
female
indoc-trination
want to feel
"included"
want to be in
control
media
images of
desirable
women
older "successful"
women
smoke a lot
how women
are portrayed
on TV &
movies
The Reciprocal
Cause/Effect Web
This type of web shows how
two factors reciprocally
influence each other. The
second layer of information
(sub-topics) depicts ways
they were impacted as a
result of the interaction.
Psychology example
When teaching social concepts, Reciprocal Cause/Effect Webs could be used to
show how the behaviors of two individuals interact and influence each.
Lightens up
and uses more humor
more when students
smile
Is more helpful
when students seem to
appreciate help
Gets more
animated &
interesting when
students ask
questions
Teacher
Asks more
questions if
the teacher
makes them
feel safe to
do so
Interaction
Tends to teach
in a boring way
when students act
bored
Tends to seek
more help if they are
not embarrassed by
the teacher
Tends to act bored
if the teacher is
boring
Becomes hostile
when students
act hostile or act
out
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
Student
Smiles more if
they think the
teacher is really
interested in them,
personally
graphicorganizers.com
Tends
to act hostile
when the teacher
seems hostile
The Interacting Ideas
Web As illustrated below,
webs can also be used to
depict Cause/Effect
interactions between two
concepts. The Interacting
Ideas Web below depicts the
outcome when two concepts
interact to produce a whole
new concept.
Earth Science example
The Interacting Ideas Web
could be used to depict how different factors combine to produce geological
outcomes...
crust pushed
over other parts
of crust
folded the
crust
glaciers
smoothed out
some surfaces
Collision of
Earth’s plates
Interaction
(INTERNAL)
Ice sheet covered
N. America,
then melted
(EXTERNAL)
breaks in the
crust called
faults
Canadian Shieldmineral rich region from
Canada to N.E. US
Formation of plains,
regions, & mountainous
systems
Atlantic Coastal
Plain - flatland &
hills in south & east
US
Appalachians
smooth mts. from
Canada to Ala
Both internal and external factors effected the surface of earth
graphicorganizers.com
sediment
deposited in
different areas
Rocky Mts.
high, rugged
range from Alaska
to New Mexico
So what? What is important to understand about this?
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
melting ice
eroded top
layers
Health Science example
Negative Effects of Exposure to Radiation
Brief exposure to
large amounts of
radiation is
nuclear power
hazardous
plant radiation
leak
Background radiation
is slight and present
no health risks
Radioactive
elements found in
all living things
Natural
levels of
radiation
Interaction
Unnatural
exposure
to radiation
Long exposure to
small amounts of
radiation is
hazardous
Glow in the
dark
watches
Serious health risk to humans
Damaged reproductive
cells may be passed
from generation to
generation
Can result in cancer
Cell and organs in
humans can be
damaged or destroyed
So what? What is important to understand about this?
We need to protect ourselves from both small and large amounts of radiation
What is this whole thing about?
The Sequence
Web The Sequence
web can be used to
depict cause/effect
patterns of thinking as
well. For example, the
figure below shows how
one set of circumstances
led to the next, which in
turn led to the next, and
so forth.
So what? What is important to understand about it?
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
American History example
What is this whole thing about?
Es
N tab
a
& t'l P lish
Fo a ed
re rks
st
s
t
An
t t
m o b i-tru
on re st
op ak la
ol up ws
ie
s
e
r & ac
bo pl
la rk
ld o
hi w
C afe s
S w
la
M
w uc
ro kr
t a
pr e a ke
ob bo rs
le ut
m
s
New laws
forcing social
progress in
U.S.
n
on e
ni em
U ov
m
a
vi
g
in s
fix lie
e o
ic op
Pr on
m
L
m righ imit
in ts ed
or o
iti f
es
W
s o
(v uffr men
ot ag 's
e) e
Citizens
taking action
to force U.S.
to improve
Citizens
abused by
government &
business
's
en to
om ht te
W rig vo
P
C ed
AA iz
N an
g
or
rs
ke y,
or a s.
W w p hr fe
lo ng sa
lo un
D
c ish
go ity & on
e
v
'n sta st
ts te
Development of the Progressive Movement
How pressure from citizens forced the government to pass new laws for social progress
So what? What is important to understand about it?
Even though a lot of social progress was made, there remained a lot of things that still needed
changing (e.g., establishing minority rights)
Citizens have more power to effect change than they realize
Here, the Sequence Web depicts how people’s reactions to social problems of
the time led to political action and subsequent change ...
What is this whole idea about?
Start with....
Add (or substract) this...
Now what?
or
Supporting points
Supporting points
Supporting points
Using Frames to
depict cause/effect
relationships
Frames provide an additional
format for depicting cause/effect
relationships. Two variations of
frames are presented below.
The first variation depicts how
one set of conditions effects (or
is effected by) another and the
resulting conditions. The second
variation presents the
cause/effect relationship from an “If-Then” perspective.
So what? What is important to understand about this?
The Cause/Effect Frame presents a linear presentation of the main idea for each
component in a cause or effect relationship. This first main idea, labeled “Start
with,” depicts a situation before its impacted by another factor.
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
The second main idea, labeled “Add (or subtract) this...” addresses the factor
that is either added to or subtracted from the original main idea.
The last main idea, labeled “Now what,” addresses the result of the interaction.
Details that clarify each of the various main ideas can be depicted on the frame
as well.
American History example
Cause/Effect Main Idea Analysis could be used to explore the impact of historical
events...
Topic
Lousiana Purchase
is about...
How America doubles its size without using warfare
Main Idea
Start with...
Amer. farmers desire
& need Mississippi
River for transportation
Main Idea
Add this...
Louisiana
Purchase
+
Esssential Details
Esssential Details
Main Idea
Results...
Exploration of new
territory & its benefits
to our nation
=
Esssential Details
Meriwether Lewis
&
William Clark
Was the purchase
Constitutional? ...President
has power to make treaties
So what? What is important to understand about this?
Jefferson tested the strength of the President's power by making the
Louisiana Purchase... results were acquisition & exploration of vast territory.
Developed by Kathy Thoresen, Simmons Middle School,
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
Environmental Science example
Cause/Effect Main Idea Analysis could be used to facilitate understanding of the relationship
between man and the environment...
Key Topic
is about...
Endangered Loggerheads
How beach development is endangering sea turtles
Main idea Start with...
Turtles bury eggs in the
sand
+
Main idea Add this...
Beach development &
tourists
Essential details
Essential details
Results
Baby turtles die
Main idea
=
Essential details
Sea Turtles crawl onto
beach and bury eggs
Houses & Hotels line the
water front for thousands
of miles
Baby turtles attracted to
bright lights
Sun incubates eggs; baby
turtles dig out of sand
Street lights, Car lights,
flashing signs, carnivals
Crawl toward bright
lights, away from sea
Attracted to movement &
glimmer of light on water
Tourists using the
beaches
Babies get lost,
disoriented
Crawl toward light to get
to the sea & swim away
Beach buggies
Eaten by predators &
Dehydrated
IF we don't turn-off our lights at night
THEN the Loggerhead may become extinct
If/Then/Because
Frames Another way
What is this whole idea about?
depict Cause/Effect
information structures is
from the perspective of IfThen relationships and why
these occur (e.g., “IF you
don’t balance your
checkbook regularly, THEN
you may bounce checks and
loose a lot of money
BECAUSE both the bank
charges extra for bounced
checks and so do the
business that to whom you wrote a check”). The frame below shows how these
relationships can be depicted.
Then...
If...
Supporting points
Because...
Supporting points
Supporting
points
So what? What is important to understand about this?
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
The If/Then/Because frame is designed to spell out the main ideas and details of
an “If-Then” relationship. The first main idea box denotes an If situation (i.e., “If
_____ happens...”).
The second main idea box addresses the Then resulting relationship (i.e., “If
____ happens, then ___ results.”
The last main idea box, Because, addresses the rationale for this relationship
(i.e., “If ____ happens, then ___ results because ____”).
Simple If/Then/Because frames are used to depict only the main ideas of a
lesson. For example, the figure below captures the essence of the cause and
effect relationship associated with use of sunscreen.
Health Science example
Simple If/Then/Because Frames could be used to teach basic health concepts....
What is this whole idea about?
Using sunscreen
If...
...you don’t put on
sunscreen
Then...
...you may eventually get
skin cancer that could kill
you
Because...
..UV rays from the sun
gradually accmulate over
seveal years and cause
cancer
Sometimes its more advantageous to depict both the main ideas and specific
details associate with each. Thus, the complete Tf/Then/Because frames could
be used.
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
Political Science example
If/Then/Because frame could be used to explore concepts associated with facilitating social
change...
© 1999 E.S. Ellis
What is this whole idea about?
Using peaceful resistance to change unfair laws
If...
Large numbers of public
peaceful protesters
Civil Rights Movements 1960's
Then...
Because...
Social policies/laws more
likely to change
Media builds public
awareness & support
Civil Rights Act
Supporting points
Supporting points
public speeches
voting rights
ensure voting registration & opportunity
going limp when arrested
housing rights
laws prohibiting sales based on race
sit-ins
Supporting points
media wants "exciting" video --
equal opportunity - jobs
sing-ins
prohibiting job discrim. "affirmative action"
integration of schools
protest marches
(no more "separate but equal" policies)
focuses on violent reactions agaist
protestors (police beatings, water
cannon, etc.)
public wants to know why its
happening -- media reports
public revulsion to violence - -sympathy for victims
pressure on politicians to
change unfair laws
So what? What’s important to understand about this?
One of the ways to facilitate change of unfair laws is through peaceful resistance and protest
that is very public.
What is this whole thing about?
IF the overall problem is...
THEN the overall solution is.....
Problem elements
Basic problem
Basic solution
Solution elements
Problem elements
Basic problem
Basic solution
Solution elements
Using
Problem/Solution
Frames to depict
cause/effect
relationships
Understanding a problem and its
various components as well as a
potential solutions can be
depicted graphically as a
cause/effect relationship. In the
problem/Solution Frame below,
the problem is stated as an overall big idea, and then each of the major
Problem elements
Basic problem
Basic solution
Solution elements
What is important to understand about this?
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
components of the problems are stated as main ideas. The Frame also provides
space for depicting specific details about each problem component.
Social Studies
A Problem/Solution graphic could be used to clarify current events...
What is this whole thing about?
Enormous U.S. budget deficit
IF the overall problem is...
THEN the overall solution is.....
Unnecessary
spending
Problem elements
Responsible
spending
Basic problem
Basic solution
Congress spends BIG
$$ to get reelected
Prof. lobbyists -"wine & dine"
Better
legislative
checks &
balances
"Pork-barrel"
spending
Excessive "military
might"
Solution elements
Presidential "line item"
veto
Limited terms for
congress
Close unnecessary
military bases
Military
Defense
Industrial/military
complex
Automatically go
up
Entitlements
Don't represent the
nation's needs
Downsize
military
Create control
mechanisms
Better monitoring
of contracts
Eliminate "most
$$ for leastgood"
Every increase
subject to
Congressional vote
What is important to understand about this?
There are solutions to the huge budget deficit, but they
will require politicians to act a LOT more responsibly
and work harder.
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
Social Studies
A Problem/Solution graphic could be used to clarify current events...
What is this whole thing about?
Restructuring Government
IF the overall problem
is...
THEN the overall solution is.....
Imposing
limitations via a
constitution
Uncontrolled
power of leaders
Problem elements
power seized via
force; passed on from
father to son
dynasties formed
Basic problem
Inherited
power
Representative
government
Centralized
power
Disperse
power by
separating
government
Unchallenged
decision making
dictatorial leadership
leader considered
super-human or godlike
must participate in
ceremonies where
leader as god-like
Basic solution
Religious
influence
Separate
church &
state
Solution elements
candidates elected by
popular vote
limited terms of office
checks & balances
3 branches of
government
leadership
understood to be
human
citizens allowed
religious freedom to
choose
What is important to understand about this?
The less of centralized the leadership, the more likely
government will be effective and governed by the people
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
Using Concentric
Circles to depict
cause/effect relationships
Cause/Effect relationships can also
be depicted using a series of
concentric circles and arrows
stemming out from the center. The
figure allows you to show how the
concept in the center influences
those listed in the second ring, and
in turn, how these influence those
in the next ring, and so on.
Health Science example
When studying health issues, Concentric Circles can be used to depict the ripple
effect of various unhealthy behaviors such as substance abuse.
Social
Outcast
Social
Withdrawal
Loss of
Friends
Aggressive
Poor diet
Behavior
Changes
Sell
drugs to
support
habit
Expense
Jail
Low self
concept
Drug
Use
Liver
Damage
Addiction
Stealing
Mind
Changes
Impaired
memory
Loss of
Intelligence
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
graphicorganizers.com
Overdose
Brain
Damage
Death
Using Loops to depict
cause/effect
relationships Simple loops
can be used to depict simple
reciprocal cause/effect relationships
between concepts.
Psychology example
This loop was used to depict the reciprocal relationship between dependency
personality types and behaviors.
MAKES SENSE HOME
© 2001 Masterminds publishing, ll ®
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS HOME
graphicorganizers.com