Ready-to-teach lesson
TumbleTA | REGIONAL STANDARDS EDITION Because of an Acorn - Build the Cause Chain Maine | Grade 2
TEACHES
RI.2.3
CURRENT FRAMEWORK
Maine Learning Results — English Language Arts
STANDARD
Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.
WHY THIS FROZEN LESSON EARNS TEACHES
Students build eight book-specific cause-to-effect links in sequence and explain one causal link.
INTEGRITY RULE
The regional standard is additive. The two lesson pages that follow are the frozen V5 lesson and have not been rewritten to obtain this standards match.
Standards-first production package | final 60-region audit | September 9, 2026 TumbleTA · Standards-First Short Lesson · Grade 2
Because of an Acorn Build the Cause Chain
20 MINUTES
TARGET
Explain how one event or idea causes the next in a text.
STUDENT PRODUCT
Eight connected cause -> effect links plus one written explanation.
LESSON SEQUENCE
- 1.Open with the book’s chain Put these first four cards on the table in book order: ACORN ->
TREE -> BIRD -> SEED. Ask students to say what the repeated 'because of' move is doing between each one.
- 2.Students complete all eight printed arrows: ACORN -> TREE -> BIRD -> SEED -> FLOWER ->
FRUIT -> CHIPMUNK -> SNAKE -> HAWK. The order must come from the book.
- 3.Explain one fixed link Everyone explains the same link first: Because of the acorn, the tree
grows. Then students choose one later arrow and write their own because/so sentence.
- 4.Check against the ending Return to the later acorn reference. Ask whether the book has made
a line or a cycle, and have students correct any arrow that skips a stated link.
ASSESSMENT · LOOK FOR
- Keeps the reviewed chain in book order.
- Explains a genuine cause/effect connection, not sequence alone.
- Uses the book’s repeated structure to justify one link.
Standards-first rule: freeze the lesson after QA. Add a regional code only when the complete local expectation is actually satisfied.
TumbleTA · Student Evidence · Grade 2
page 1
Because of an Acorn
Build the Cause Chain
Name ________________________________ Date __________________
BOOK CHAIN
ACORN
->
TREE
TREE
BIRD
SEED
FLOWER
FRUIT
CHIPMUNK
-> -> -> -> -> ->
BIRD
SEED
FLOWER
FRUIT
CHIPMUNK
SNAKE
SNAKE
->
HAWK
Explain one later link: Because ____________________, ____________________ happened.
This student page is part of the frozen standards-first lesson. Complete the evidence shown here; do not substitute a different task to fit a standard.
page 2