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Cause and Effect Task Cards

Cause and effect task cards: 28 short scenarios and fables in which students identify the cause, the effect or an underlined part and explain their reasoning. The cards come in color and black-and-white.
Cause and Effect Task Cards preview: 28 task cards, four per page, in color and black-and-white
Cause and Effect Task Cards preview
Cause and Effect Task Cards preview 2
Cause and Effect Task Cards preview 3
Cause and Effect Task Cards preview 4
Cause and Effect Task Cards preview 5

Look Inside · 9 pages

Cover of Cause and Effect Task Cards by Andrea Crawford, a resource for practicing this reading strategy
Cover identifying the task card resource and author
Digital resource instructions explain copying and sharing Google Slides; answer keys are not included
Directions for accessing and sharing the digital cards
Cause-and-effect reference poster defines both terms, lists clue words, and gives a bubble-wand example
Reference poster introducing cause and effect
Cause-and-effect cards 1–4 ask about fallen leaves, oversleeping, summer activities, and a missed party
Cards 1–4 of the 28-card reading strategy set
Cause-and-effect cards 5–8 cover Jamestown, a fallen-tree photo, a light bulb experiment, and unfinished homework
Cards 5–8: passages and a fallen-tree photo prompt
Cause-and-effect cards 9–12 feature a messy room, the Louisiana Purchase, a nut pitcher, and excited children
Cards 9–12: text questions and a reaction photo
Cause-and-effect cards 13–16 feature Noah Webster, cut flowers, a cat chasing a mouse, and a distracted tourist
Cards 13–16: passages and a flower prediction prompt
Cause-and-effect cards 17–20 cover snow play, cats' sense of taste, a dog losing meat, and birthday excitement
Cards 17–20: snow, animals, and a birthday passage
Cause-and-effect cards 21–24 cover puddle jumping, colonial independence, an open freezer, and spring changes
Cards 21–24: photo and passage questions
Grades
Grades 4–5, Elementary
File type
PDF
Preparation
Print ready

Updated Oct 26, 2026

Subject
ELA, Strategies
Topic
reading task cards, reading strategies
Resource types
Task Cards, Worksheets & Printables
Preparation
Print ready

About this resource

What's inside this resource

This resource is a set of Cause and Effect Task Cards.

These cards are an engaging way to teach and reinforce this reading strategy.

There are a total of 28 task cards and they are printed 4 per page.

They are offered in color and black and white.

A recording sheet and answer key are included.

Related resources

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In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Identify the cause and the effect in a short scenario
  • Explain how a cause leads to an effect
  • Use clue words such as because, since and as a result

Teaching tips

  • Some cards draw on history topics such as Jamestown and the Louisiana Purchase, which may need brief background for students who have not studied them.
  • The Google Slides version needs a Google account.

Skills covered

  • Text analysis — finding causes and effects in short fables such as a dog and its shadow
  • Explaining reasoning — telling why the chosen cause produced the effect on each card

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Resource details

Concepts & topics

Core concepts

  • Cause
  • Effect
  • Clue words

Topics

reading task cards reading strategies cause and effect comprehension reading games

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Categories this resource belongs to

Worksheets & Printables Task Cards

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