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A ReadiSkillsä Lesson Plan

ANALYZING CAUSE AND EFFECT Lesson Information Process Objective: Analyze a problem by identifying causes and effects Time:

45 minutes

Group size:

Full class

Materials:

· ·

Preparation:

None

Handout materials (exhibits B, C, and E) Overheads (exhibits A and D)

Objectives At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to ·

State the differences between the causes and effects.

·

Use a fishbone diagram to identify causes and effects.

Activities Introduction: ÒWe will learn how to investigate the causes of a problem. The method we will use can be applied in almost any situation.Ó 1.

Place exhibit A on the overhead and go over the definitions. Reinforce these definitions by using an example from the school: ·

Why do so few students eat at the cafeteria?

·

Why arenÕt more students involved in

·

Why do so few students apply for

? ?

The question you use will be the effect. The studentsÕ answers are the possible causes. 2.

Ask the students to read the HoldenÕs Restaurant case study, exhibit B. While they are reading, place the skeleton of the fishbone diagram (exhibit C) on the blackboard. When the students are finished, tell them they are going to use a tool called fishbone diagram to separate causes and effects.

4-B Analyzing Cause and Effect (1/23/97) jb

© 1996. CESD, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 The first thing they need to do is to place a problem statement in the head of the fish. Ask students what the problem was with HoldenÕs Restaurant. They should tell you Òlosing customers.Ó Write this in the head of the fish. Next, point out that causes of a problem typically fall into one of five categories. PeopleÑthose who do the work and those who are customers MaterialsÑwhat is used to produce the product or service ProceduresÑthe approaches, practices, or rules used to produce the product or service EquipmentÑthe technology used to provide the product or service EnvironmentÑthe physical or emotional conditions that affect the development of the product or service Ask the students to give you one cause of HoldenÕs problems. When they give you a cause, ask them where it should be placed on the fishbone diagram. Write the cause on the diagram and ask for another one. After you have demonstrated two causes, ask the students to complete the fishbone diagram. When the students have completed their work, put exhibit D on the overhead and ask the students to check their answers. Tell them the words do not have to be the same but all the causes should be identified correctly. 3.

Give the students the assignment described in exhibit E and announce the due date.

Closure: ÒItÕs a lot easier to determine causes when they are written for you like they were in the HoldenÕs Restaurant case. For the assignment, youÕll need to identify causes by observation.Ó

Evaluation 1.

This lesson could be used effectively in any class where students are asked to examine the causes of a problem: HistoryÑlook at the causes of a conflict that led to a war. Social studiesÑanalyze causes of a current social problem. EnglishÑunderstand the causes of a conflict described in a literary work. In these cases, the labels of the fishbone may change. For example, the labels for a war may be people, natural resources, group beliefs, social structures, and environment. [Note: When creating new labels, try to stick close to the ÔtypeÕ of label in the standard fishbone (people, materials, procedures, equipment, environment). Adapt the general type to the specific problem at hand in order to help guide your thinking.]

4-B Analyzing Cause and Effect (1/23/97) jb

© 1996. CESD, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Exhibit A

DEFINITIONS EffectÑWhatÕs happening ·

Something we observe.

·

Generally, a problem of some type.

CauseÑWhy itÕs happening ·

Possible reasons for a problem.

4-B Analyzing Cause and Effect (1/23/97) jb

© 1996. CESD, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Exhibit B

HOLDENÕS RESTAURANT HoldenÕs Restaurant had been popular for years. Generations of families enjoyed meals at HoldenÕs. Many people in the community had also worked there. But today, HoldenÕs has a problem. The past success has become a distant memory. Few people go to HoldenÕs now. Suzanne Holden, granddaughter of the founder, is going to try to revive her familyÕs business. She has begun to interview Holden staff and former customers to see what the problem is. ÒIÕll tell you why I stopped going,Ó said Andy Davis. ÒThe service was terrible. IÕm always on the go, and I donÕt have time to wait for a meal.Ó ÒYes, time was a problem,Ó said Roberta Pastor, a HoldenÕs waitress. ÒWe took too long. Our equipment was terrible, and we never had enough wait staff. And IÕll tell you something else. When youÕre only paid minimum wage and you donÕt get many tips, it makes it difficult to live.Ó ÒI stopped going there because of the smell,Ó replied Jean Morelli. ÒIn the morning you had the retirees sitting in there for over three hours smoking cigarettes. It was disgusting. Cigarette smoke combined with grease from breakfast left an nasty odor for lunch customers.Ó Assistant Manager Scott Johnson said, ÒWe didnÕt run the restaurant very well. We insisted on balancing the tables among our wait staff, but this meant that we wouldnÕt let our customers sit in their favorite location. People feel like they own this place, and they want to sit at their own table. And another thingÑwe changed our prices too often. Every time a price would change on something we bought, weÕd change the price of everything. People got tired of the constant price increases.Ó Gretchen Moody, the restaurantÕs long-time cook, was very angry. ÒFor years your grandfather and your mother let me buy my own food. But then when your mother got ill, the hot shot manager you hired started buying garbage. He wouldnÕt let me buy anything, and he wouldnÕt listen to me. The food tasted terrible.Ó Suzanne had a lot of information, but she wasnÕt sure where to begin.

4-B Analyzing Cause and Effect (1/23/97) jb

© 1996. CESD, Inc. All rights reserved.

4-B Cause-and-Effect Analysis (1/23/97) jb

Environment People

Equipment

Procedures

Materials

FISHBONE DIAGRAM

Exhibit C

© 1996. CESD, Inc. All rights reserved.

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4-B Cause-and-Effect Analysis (1/23/97) jb

Smells bad

Environment

FISHBONE DIAGRAM

Exhibit D

Materials

Not well paid

People

Equipment

Cheap food

Seating procedures Changed prices too much

Wouldn't let cook buy food

Poor Service

Procedures

Poor cooking equipment

© 1996. CESD, Inc. All rights reserved.

Losing Customers

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Exhibit E

ASSIGNMENT Analyze some problem you have experienced. Write a description of the problem, but donÕt use real names of people or organizations. Then develop a fishbone diagram for this situation.

4-B Cause-and-Effect Analysis (1/23/97) jb

© 1996. CESD, Inc. All rights reserved.