What Happened and Why
Aligned to RI.4.3 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
History and science texts don't just tell what happened — they tell why. Look for the reasons and causes behind events, steps, or ideas. Words like 'because,' 'so,' and 'as a result' often point to the why.
Worked examples
Example 1
A science text explains that a puddle disappears because the sun heats the water and turns it into vapor that floats into the air. That tells both what happened and the reason it happened.
Example 2
A history text explains that a city grew because a railroad arrived, which brought jobs, which brought families. One cause, a chain of effects.
Example 3
Some events have several causes at once. A war rarely starts for one reason, and a text that gives only one is simplifying.
Practice questions
- Describe something you learned in science and explain why it happens.
- Read about a real event and list the cause and the result.
- Explain the steps of how something is made and why each step matters.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Qué Pasó y Por Qué
Los textos de historia y ciencia no solo dicen qué pasó — dicen por qué. Busca las razones y causas detrás de los eventos, pasos o ideas. Palabras como 'porque,' 'así que' y 'como resultado' suelen señalar el porqué.
Ejemplo 1: Un texto de ciencia explica que un charco desaparece porque el sol calienta el agua y la convierte en vapor que flota en el aire. Eso dice tanto qué pasó como la razón por la que pasó.
Ejemplo 2: Un texto de historia explica que una ciudad creció porque llegó un ferrocarril, que trajo empleos, que trajo familias. Una causa, una cadena de efectos.
Ejemplo 3: Algunos sucesos tienen varias causas a la vez. Una guerra rara vez empieza por una sola razón, y un texto que da solo una está simplificando.
More Reading: Textos Informativos lessons
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