Unit Plan 28 (Grade PreK ELA): Cause & Effect and Idea Connections

Focus: Event/idea relationships; follow-up questions to clarify

Grade Level: PreK

Subject Area: English Language Arts (Informational Text • Oral Language • Critical Thinking)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session (use two short blocks if needed)

I. Introduction

This week children notice what happens in informational texts and why it happens. They practice linking causes and effects with simple connectors (because/so/then) and learn to ask follow-up questions (e.g., “What happened next?” “Why?”) to clarify understanding during read-alouds and picture talks.

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…

1. Describe a simple effect from a page or photo (“What happened?”) and the cause (“Why?”) using because/so (RI.PK.3).
2. Ask and answer questions about key details in a read-aloud (RI.PK.1).
3. Use at least one follow-up question to clarify (“Can you show me?” “What happened after?”) and confirm understanding (SL.PK.3).
4. Connect two ideas from the same text (e.g., rain → puddles, seed + water → plant grows) using visuals and talk frames (RI.PK.3).
5. Use topic vocabulary (e.g., rain, wet, grow, blow, push, break, fix) during shares (supports RI.PK.1; SL.PK.3).

Standards Alignment — PreK

• RI.PK.3 With prompting and support, describe the connection between two events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
• RI.PK.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details.
• SL.PK.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.

Success Criteria — student language

• “___ happened because ___.” (RI.PK.3)
• “If ___, then ___.” or “__ so __.” (RI.PK.3)
• “I asked ___ to help me understand.” (RI.PK.1; SL.PK.3)