| Full lesson | Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle} |
| Which subject | Science |
| What topic | CER Writing |
| What length (min) | 40 |
| What age group | Year or Grade 6 |
| Class size | 26 |
| What curriculum | |
| Include full script | |
| Check previous homework | |
| Ask some students to presents their homework | |
| Add a physical break | |
| Add group activities | |
| Include homework | |
| Show correct answers | |
| Prepare slide templates | |
| Number of slides | 10 |
| Create fill-in cards for students | |
| Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments |
CER Writing
Year/Grade 6
Science
26 students
40 minutes
This lesson corresponds to the national standards for Science literacy and writing skills as outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for writing.
| Step Number | Step Title | Length (minutes) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to CER | 5 | Briefly explain the components of CER writing. Use examples to illustrate each part. |
| 2 | Group Activity | 15 | Students will form small groups (5-6 students) to discuss and create a sample CER paragraph based on a given prompt. |
| 3 | Distribute Materials | 5 | Give each student a printable CER writing card to fill out during the lesson. |
| 4 | Individual Practice | 10 | Students will individually fill in their CER writing cards based on their understanding. |
| 5 | Random Check/Collection | 3 | Randomly collect or check the cards to assess understanding and give feedback. |
| 6 | Homework Assignment | 2 | Assign homework related to CER writing (details provided) and explain expectations. |
Assignment of relevant CER writing tasks to reinforce understanding and application at home. Homework should be checked without requiring individual presentations in class.
"Good morning, class! Today, we’re going to learn about something called CER writing. Who can tell me what the letters C-E-R might stand for? That's right—Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning.
Let’s break it down. The 'Claim' is what you believe to be true. The 'Evidence' is the support for your claim—this could be facts, examples, or data that back up what you’re saying. Finally, 'Reasoning' explains why your evidence supports your claim.
For example, if I say, 'The plant grows faster in sunlight,' my claim is that sunlight helps plant growth. My evidence might be that studies show plants in the sun grow taller than those in the dark. And then I would reason that sunlight provides energy for photosynthesis.
Do you have any questions about any of these components? Awesome! Let's move on!"
"Now, it's time to work together! I want you to form small groups of 5 or 6 students. Each group will be given a prompt to work with.
Your task is to create a sample CER paragraph based on this prompt. Remember to use the structure we discussed: start with your claim, then add your evidence, and finish with your reasoning.
I’ll walk around and check in with each group. If you need any help or have questions, just raise your hand. You’ll have 15 minutes for this activity, so let’s get started!"
"Okay, everyone! I have something important for you. Each of you will receive a printable CER writing card. This card will help guide you through writing your own paragraphs today.
When you get your card, please look it over. It has sections for your claim, evidence, and reasoning. Make sure you keep this handy as we continue our lesson.
Does anyone need help understanding how to use the writing card? Great! Let's move on to the next step."
"Now it’s time to put your understanding into practice. Using your CER writing card, I want each of you to fill in the sections based on your knowledge.
Think about something you've learned in science this year and create your own CER paragraph. It could be related to plants, animals, or ecosystems.
You’ll have 10 minutes for this individual practice. Remember to refer back to the introduction if you need to remind yourself of the definitions. Alright, let’s begin!"
"Alright, time's up! Now, I’d like to do a quick random check of your CER writing cards. I’ll call on a few of you to share your claim, evidence, and reasoning.
Don’t be shy! I’ll give you feedback on your writing as I collect or check your cards. If you made any mistakes, remember that’s part of learning.
[Collect or check the cards as students share.]
Thank you all for sharing! I’m excited to see how you are starting to understand CER writing."
"Before we wrap up today, I’ve got your homework assignment. I want you to write a CER paragraph at home based on a topic we’ve discussed in class.
You’ll need to start with a claim, provide supporting evidence, and then explain your reasoning. Bring this back to class on Friday, and I’ll check to see how you’re progressing.
Remember, you’re not required to present it in front of the class, but please be prepared for feedback. Do you have any questions before we finish up today?
Great job today, everyone! I am really proud of the work you all did!"
| Slide Number | Image | Slide Content |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | {Image: A classroom with students} | - Introduction to CER Writing |
| - CER stands for Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning | ||
| - Claim: What you believe to be true | ||
| - Evidence: Support for your claim (facts, examples, data) | ||
| - Reasoning: Explanation of how evidence supports your claim | ||
| 2 | {Image: Groups of students collaborating} | - Group Activity Introduction |
| - Form small groups (5-6 students) | ||
| - Task: Create a sample CER paragraph | ||
| - Follow structure: Claim → Evidence → Reasoning | ||
| 3 | {Image: Printable CER writing card} | - Distribute Materials |
| - Each student receives a CER writing card | ||
| - The card contains sections for Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning | ||
| - Keep the card handy for writing | ||
| 4 | {Image: Student writing with focused expression} | - Individual Practice |
| - Use the CER writing card to fill in your sections | ||
| - Topic: Something learned in science (plants, animals, ecosystems) | ||
| - You have 10 minutes for this practice | ||
| 5 | {Image: Teacher checking student work} | - Random Check/Collection |
| - Quick random check of CER writing cards | ||
| - Share your Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning with the class | ||
| - Feedback will be provided | ||
| 6 | {Image: Student at home studying} | - Homework Assignment |
| - Write a CER paragraph based on a class topic | ||
| - Include Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning | ||
| - Bring it back by Friday for feedback | ||
| 7 | {Image: Students raising hands} | - Questions Before Wrap-Up |
| - Open floor for any questions regarding the lesson | ||
| - Encourage students to clarify doubts | ||
| 8 | {Image: Teacher praising students} | - Closing Remarks |
| - Praise for participation and understanding | ||
| - Reminder of the importance of CER writing | ||
| 9 | {Image: Paper and pencil} | - Recap of Learning Points |
| - Importance of Claim, Evidence, Reasoning | ||
| - Structure to enhance writing skills | ||
| 10 | {Image: Celebrating students} | - Thank you and Encouragement |
| - Well done on today's work! | ||
| - Looking forward to seeing more CER paragraphs |
Define what the acronym CER stands for and briefly describe each component.
Write a Claim about the impact of an environmental factor on a specific organism or ecosystem.
Provide two pieces of Evidence to support your Claim. Ensure that one evidence piece is a fact, and the other is an example.
Explain your Reasoning connecting the Evidence you provided to support your Claim. Why does your evidence back up what you believe?
Reflect on the group activity you participated in during class. What was the most challenging part of creating your CER paragraph? How did you overcome it?
Think of another subject area (e.g., history, math) where you could use the CER format. Create a sample Claim related to that subject.
Compare and contrast the structure of CER writing with another type of writing format you know (e.g., narrative, persuasive). What are the key differences?
Explain why using evidence is crucial in writing a Claims-Evidence-Reasoning paragraph.
C stands for Claim, E stands for Evidence, and R stands for Reasoning. The Claim is what you believe to be true, Evidence is the support for your claim (facts, examples, or data), and Reasoning explains why the evidence supports your claim.
(Answers may vary; example) "The decline in pollinator populations negatively affects plant reproduction."
(Answers may vary; examples)
(Answers may vary; example) "This evidence indicates that without pollination, plants cannot reproduce effectively, leading to fewer plants in the ecosystem. Therefore, the decline in pollinators is directly responsible for a decrease in plant diversity."
(Answers may vary; example) "The most challenging part was figuring out how to connect my evidence to my claim. I took my time to think about why my evidence was relevant before finalizing my paragraph."
(Answers may vary; example) "In history, I could write a Claim such as 'The Industrial Revolution significantly changed society.'"
(Answers may vary; example) "CER writing focuses on supporting a specific claim with evidence and reasoning, while narrative writing prioritizes storytelling and character development, without requiring factual evidence to support claims."
"Using evidence is crucial in CER writing because it provides support for the claim made, establishing credibility and persuading the reader by showing that the claim is grounded in factual information."
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does the "C" in CER stand for? | |
| What is an example of evidence in a CER paragraph? | |
| Why is reasoning important in CER writing? | |
| Can you explain how you would structure a CER paragraph? | |
| What type of topics can you use for your individual CER paragraph? | |
| How does the CER writing card help you with your writing? | |
| What feedback would you like to receive on your CER writing? | |
| Why is it important to share your CER paragraphs with the class? | |
| How can you improve your CER writing based on the feedback you received? | |
| What strategies will you use to come up with a claim for your homework assignment? |
Can you think of a time when you had a strong opinion about a topic? How would you create a claim for that opinion using the CER format?
What type of evidence do you think is the most compelling when making a claim? Can you give an example of how you would use it in a CER paragraph?
If you were to create a CER paragraph about an animal's adaptation to its environment, what claim would you make, and what evidence would you use to support it?
Why do you think reasoning is an important part of the CER writing process? Can you think of a scenario where having strong reasoning made a difference in understanding something?
If you had to teach someone else about CER writing, what advice would you give them to help them structure their claim, evidence, and reasoning effectively?