Design Blueprint

Implementing the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER)

Framework in the Classroom

Instructional Designers:
Christy Ballew, Kristy Gamble, Monique Holloway, April Parmer, Topaz Thompson

Clients’ Information:
Twenty-eight sixth-grade science students at Sammy McClure Sr. Middle School in
Dallas, GA

Overview

Introduction of Topic

Our topic is the use of the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) Framework in
the classroom to make and support scientific claims. In this topic, we are going to
guide students through the process of stating claims, providing evidence to
support their claims, and then use reasoning methods to tie together the claim
and the evidence. Students struggle with the ability to support their claims with
actual textual evidence. The CER framework sets apart guidelines that students
can follow in order to make this process more understandable. The lessons will be
based in science for the purpose of this blueprint, however, this method easily
translates to other subjects as well.

The purpose of this instruction is to improve student performance in

making scientific claims by implementing the CER framework. Each module will
build upon the last, beginning with a basic video introduction of the CER
 framework and ending with a culminating assignment where the students utilize
the CER method, analyze peer work, and then correct and finalize their own.

Rationale of Topic

Based on the 2017-2018 testing results, only 11% of the sixth-grade students in
Teacher A’s science class were able to make and support scientific claims using
evidence and reasoning. The desired performance goal is for at least 75% of students to
successfully make and support scientific claims using the CER framework. This activity
also supports the following Georgia Common Core Standards:

● L6-8RST1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and

technical texts.

● L6-8WHST4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,

organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

● S6E6 c: Construct an argument evaluating contributions to the rise in global

temperatures over the past century.

Description of the Context and the Learners

Context:
Sammy McClure Sr. Middle School - Dallas, GA
Teacher A’s fourth-period science class
Paulding County School District

Audience:
● 28 sixth-grade students
● Females 43%
Males 57%
● Caucasian 68%
African American 25%
Hispanic 7%
● On level (no IEP) 78%
IEP or 504 18%
Gifted (Advanced) 4%

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Relevant knowledge and skills
Students have a basic level of understanding of how to use the computer to
retrieve information but have not been exposed to instruction related to making scientific
claims. All students possess a basic knowledge of writing standards and are proficient in
using a computer for writing and research.

Needs Assessment

The proposed instruction will close the performance gap by using a variety of
delivery methods of the CER framework. Students will engage in group and individual
learning activities and will have the opportunity to provide peer evaluations upon the
completion of the lesson. Teacher A will provide the initial instruction and later facilitate
the information for the students put the CER framework into practice. This project-based
activity is designed to engage the knowledge, creativity, and interest of the students.
According to Krajchik and Shin (2014), understanding, knowing, and doing must be
combined in order for students to learn and apply ideas, not only in the classroom but
also in the real world.

Design Components

Instructional Goals
❏ Recall information related to a specific topic (Knowledge).
❏ Identify pieces of evidence from various resources (articles, labs, background
knowledge, class lessons, and notes, etc.) that directly relate to a scientific topic or
question (Comprehension).
❏ Make a scientific claim based on evidence from various resources (Application).
❏ Analyze directly relevant, scientific evidence supporting a scientific claim
(Analysis).
❏ Utilize scientific evidence to synthesize reasoning to support a scientific claim via
a written response (Synthesis).
❏ Critique the adequacy with which peers make scientific claims and support those
claims with evidence and reasoning (Evaluation).

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Instructional Approach

Project-based Learning/ instruction: A technique often used at the onset of instruction to

establish instructional targets and raise the interest of the learner by some technique that
allows the learner to glimpse what the instructional experience will be like. (Texas Tech
University) This instructional plan will introduce the students the CER framework by
utilizing a variety of multimedia resources, as well as classroom instruction, to increase
their interest in the process.

Course Plan:
❏ Module 1: It’s Getting Hot
1. The teacher will introduce the CER Framework to students via an
informational video and the Student CER guide
2. Students will individually complete the interactive activities that accompany
the informational video.
3. Students will be placed into groups of 3-4 individuals.
4. Students will then be instructed to complete the “Getting Hotter” laboratory
activity so that they may gather information and potential evidence related
to global warming. During the lab, students will explore how greenhouse
gases affect the temperature on Earth. Students will answer summarizing
questions associated with the laboratory activity, recalling information and
identifying evidence related to the topic of global warming.
5. To close, the teacher will facilitate a class discussion of the groups’ findings
from the laboratory activity.
❏ Module 2: Global Warming
1. Students will return to their groups from the previous module.
2. Students will view the video “Climate Change with Bill Nye” (4:09) to
introduce the causes and effects of global warming.
3. The teacher will review the reciprocal teaching strategy that groups are to
use when analyzing texts (Summarizing, Question Generating, Clarifying,
Predicting) and hand out role cards.
4. Students will be given an article related to global warming and asked to
use the reciprocal teaching strategy to analyze the article.
5. Once finished, students will answer questions related to the article and
global warming via a formative quiz.

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 6. The teacher will facilitate a discussion about global warming and its causes,
leading students to make a claim about the main cause for global warming.

❏ Module 3: CER Framework Activity - Global Warming: Fact or Fiction

1. The teacher will review the CER Framework with students (Claim, Evidence,
and Reasoning), including a video example.
2. Students will receive a handout with data related to global warming and
atmospheric greenhouse gasses.
3. Students will analyze the data with their groups, drawing conclusions and
making connections.
4. Students will then be given a CER brainstorming worksheet and instructed
to answer the following using the CER Framework: “Is global warming fact
or fiction?”
5. Each student will utilize his/her brainstorming worksheet to compose a
paragraph response using evidence and reasoning to support his/her
scientific claim.
❏ Module 4: Peer Assessment
1. Students will review their individual CER responses from the previous
module and rate/grade themselves based on the rubric.
2. Students will then use the rubric to assess their peers’ responses (from
within and outside of their groups).
3. Students will receive their peers’ reviews and consider their feedback. The
teacher will close with feedback on students’ success with the CER
Framework.

Instructional Activities

❏ Module 1

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 The objective of Module 1, It’s Getting Hot, is to introduce the students to the CER
framework and to give the the opportunity to explore each component on their
own and in a group setting. During the module, the students will complete the
following activities.
1. Watch an informational video (As a class) and complete the activities that
accompany the video (Individually, online)
2. Participate in the It’s Getting Hot Lab in small groups of 3-4 students.
3. Summarize lab findings as a group
4. Present lab findings in a class discussion
❏ Module 2

The objective of Module 2, Global Warming, is to introduce the students to the

reciprocal teaching strategy to help them understand how to properly analyze
text. During the module, the students will complete the following activities.
1. Watch Climate Change video to introduce the causes and effects of global
warming.
2. Read Global Warming article and use reciprocal teaching role cards to
analyze the article.
❏ Module 3

The objective of Module 3, CER Framework Activity - Global Warming: Fact or

Fiction, is to review the CER framework and for the students to utilize the skills
that they learned from the previous modules. During the module, the students will
complete the following activities.
1. Watch Why Air Matters Video
2. Complete the CER brainstorming worksheet to answer the question “Is
global warming fact or fiction?”

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Assessment Activities

❏ Module 1: Upon completing the laboratory activity, student groups will answer
open-ended, short response questions related to the lab and topic of global
warming. Students will also participate in the online assessment including in the
CER Informational Video. This will serve as pre-assessment of the students’
understanding of CER after a brief introduction. The results of the pre-assessment
will be compared to the result of the final assessment to gauge the students’
understanding of the material.
❏ Module 2: Students will individually take a formative quiz, answering multiple
choice questions relating to the article and topic of global warming.
❏ Module 3: Students will compose a paragraph response to the following CER
topic by stating a claim and supporting that claim with evidence and reasoning
from various resources (Module 1’s lab, Module 2’s article, background
knowledge, Bill Nye video, data from handout, etc.): “Is global warming fact or
fiction?” The students will be assessed using the Module 3 rubric.

❏ Module 4: Students will complete a self-reflection survey.

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Resources

Student Printed Material and Graphic Illustrations

● Student CER Guide

● Global warming article

● CER Module 3 Rubric

Other Resources Available to Students

● Computer access

Instructor Printed Material and Graphic Illustrations

● Getting Hotter Teacher Instructions - adapted from

● Getting Hotter Student Handout and Summarizing Questions (with answer key) -
adapted from

● CER graphic/poster -
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/540f7597e4b04939fb5b082b/t/56459ec9e
4b0596be10c0ec4/1447403209768/Activate+Learning+CER+Poster+download.pd
f

● CER Module 3 Rubric

● Reciprocal teaching graphic/poster

● Reciprocal teaching role cards

● Formative quiz (with answer key)

● Data handout for CER

Videos
● Climate Change 101 with Bill Nye | National Geographic
● CER informational video (Module 1) - https://youtu.be/_fY1Qzx6SsQ
● CER informational/example video (Module 3) - Why Air Matters CER Video

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References

STEMscopes Georgia. (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2018, from

http://www.stemscopes.com/state/ga/

Instructional Approaches. Texas Tech University Office of the Provost Worldwide

eLearning [PDF file]. Retrieved from http://www.tamus.edu/academic/wp-
content/uploads/sites/24/2017/07/Instructional-Approaches-Handout-v1.0.pdf

Georgia Department of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2018, from

https://www.georgiastandards.org/

Reciprocal Teaching Reading and Learning Strategy. National Behavior Support Service
[PDF file]. Retrieved from
https://www.nbss.ie/sites/default/files/publications/reiciprocal_teaching_strategy_handou
t__copy_2_0.pdf

Digital Chalkboard. (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2018, from

https://www.mydigitalchalkboard.org/portal/default/Content/Viewer/Content;jsessionid=h
YZfqMPsyd7eL2-zqPmQ9g**?action=2&scId=504488&sciId=17999

Krajcik, J., & Shin, N. (2014). Project-Based Learning. In R. Sawyer (Ed.), The Cambridge
Handbook of the Learning Sciences (Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology, pp. 275-
297). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139519526.018

[National Geographic]. (2015, December 2). Climate Change 101 with Bill Nye | National
Geographic [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/EtW2rrLHs08