3rd Grade Cause and Effect worksheets

Cause and Effect

Grade 3 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the answer.

1. Read this first

   Why Leaves Change Color

   In summer, most tree leaves are green. They are green because they are full of a material called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll helps leaves use sunlight to make food for the tree.

   In fall, the days get shorter. Trees get less sunlight, so they stop making as much chlorophyll. As the green fades, other colors start to show. Yellow and orange were in the leaves all along. The green simply hid them.

   Some trees, like red maples, make a new red color in the fall. Sunny days and cool nights help them make more of it. That is why some autumns have brighter reds than others.

   Soon the tree seals off each leaf where it joins the branch. Water can no longer reach the leaf, so the leaf dries out. Then the wind blows it to the ground.

   Fallen leaves are not wasted. They break down slowly and add food to the soil. As a result, the tree has rich soil to grow in next spring.

2. 1.

   Why are most leaves green in summer?

   • They get plenty of summer rain.
   • They are full of chlorophyll.
   • The nights are cool and short.
3. 2.

   What happens because the days get shorter in fall?

   • Trees make less chlorophyll.
   • Leaves fill up with extra water.
   • Trees make more green color.
4. 3.

   Why can you see yellow and orange in fall leaves?

   • The green fades and stops hiding them.
   • The tree makes yellow and orange in fall.
   • Sunny days turn the green leaves orange.
5. 4.

   Why do some autumns have brighter reds than others?

   • Some falls have more sunny days and cool nights.
   • Some falls have shorter days and more wind.
   • Some trees get much more water in the fall.
6. 5.

   Why does a leaf dry out before it falls?

   • Water can no longer reach it.
   • The sun shines on it all day.
   • It has too much chlorophyll.
7. 6.

   What does "seals off" mean in "the tree seals off each leaf where it joins the branch"?

   • makes stronger so it stays on
   • paints a bright new color
   • closes so nothing can pass
8. 7.

   Which list shows the causes and effects in the right order?

   • Days get shorter, then less chlorophyll is made, then yellow shows.
   • Less chlorophyll is made, then days get shorter, then yellow shows.
   • Yellow shows, then days get shorter, then less chlorophyll is made.
9. 8.

   What happens as a result of fallen leaves breaking down?

   • The soil gets richer for the tree.
   • The wind blows more leaves down.
   • The tree grows new leaves at once.
10. 9.

    Which words in the last paragraph tell you an effect is coming?

    • not wasted
    • As a result
    • next spring
11. 10.

    What causes a dry leaf to land on the ground?

    • Rain washes it off the branch.
    • Cool nights make it heavy.
    • The wind blows it down.