Cause and Effect: If This Happens, Then What?

In this lesson, you'll guide your students through interactive activities to understand 'if/then' statements. You'll start with an 'If/Then' Simon Says game, followed by an interactive whiteboard game. Finally, students will complete an 'If/Then' activity worksheet to reinforce their understanding of conditional logic.

Learning Goals Learning Outcomes

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1 Introduction
2 If/Then Game
3 If/Then Slideshow
4 If/Then Worksheet Activity

1 - Introduction

Today, you'll be guiding your students through a series of interactive activities designed to help them grasp the concept of 'if/then' statements. This lesson builds on their understanding of sequencing from previous lessons and is a crucial step toward understanding conditional logic, which is fundamental in coding.

The format of this lesson is:

Play an 'If/Then' version of Simon Says
Engage students with an 'If/Then' interactive whiteboard game
Complete an 'If/Then' activity worksheet

2 - If/Then Game

Introduce the game to the students by explaining that they will be playing a game similar to Simon Says, but this time using the word "if". Start with simple instructions that include "if," such as:

"If you have black hair, put your hands in the air ,"
"If you have a brother, touch your toes ,"
"If you like football, jump up and down ."

Refer to the teacher notes for a longer list of 'if' commands that you can use during the game.

If you'd like to make the game more challenging, try using more complex 'if' situations, like "Clap your hands if you are wearing red and have a pet," or "Jump up and down if you like football and have a sister."

3 - If/Then Slideshow

Begin the activity by displaying the slideshow picture of a sunny day on the board. Read the line attached: "If it is sunny outside, then…" Ask the children to describe what they see and predict what might happen next.

Encourage the students to select the option they think best fits the situation and take a vote to see what they should do next. Repeat this process with additional examples to reinforce the concept of "if" and "then" statements.

4 - If/Then Worksheet Activity

Begin by printing and distributing the 'If/Then' Activity Worksheet (➡️)to your class.

For this worksheet, students must draw what they believe would happen in different scenarios.

Display the worksheet on the whiteboard so that everyone can follow along. Start with the first image, which shows 'If it is raining.' Engage the students by asking what they think might happen next in this scenario. Encourage responses like using an umbrella, putting on a coat, splashing in puddles, or staying inside.

Draw the class's chosen answer in the 'Then' box on your whiteboard.

Allow the students to draw their own answers into the 'Then' box on their worksheets.

Continue this process with the remaining two 'if' scenarios, encouraging discussion about the students' explanations and illustrations.

If - Then Activity Worksheet.pdf

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