A New Twist - Claymation Cause and Effect

Objective:
The learners will demonstrate understanding of Reading or Social Studies content, as well as the relationship between cause and effect, as they recreate an event in a Reading/Social Studies lesson and alter the ending or event.

Lesson Sequence:
1. Conduct a Reading or Social Studies lesson as directed in your curriculum guide. (This could also be utilized with some Science topics.)

2. Discuss and list the examples of cause and effect within the lesson.

3. Pose questions about a possible new "twist" to the cause and effect scenarios that would occur if a new character was introduced or removed, or if a certain action had taken place instead of another.

4. Allow students to work in groups of 4-5 to devise a new cause and effect scene for one aspect of the story. You may want to designate a certain page, paragraph, or event to each group. Have students share their new creation.

5. (If time permits, repeat steps 1-3 with the next subsequent Reading or Social Studies lesson in order to provide fresh, new ideas.) Now it's time for Claymation. Students will work with small groups to create a Claymation to depict a twist in events. First, students will begin the Claymation as the original story/event occurred. Then, they will add a new character/event/action that alters the cause and effect and creates a new twist in the story.

6. Students will present their Claymations to the class.

7. As an extension, students will write a continuation of the new "twisted" story to explain further changes that would take place.

Future suggestions:
Utilize the same process for current events. Have groups of students explain a current event through Claymation, and create several "endings" to the event