February 21, 2018

Evidence is the Key

Class Description: There are 27 students in this 6th grade standard inclusion science class with

14 females and 13 males. There are 9 students with IEP’s and 1 student with a 504 plan.

Accommodations include but are not limited to extended time, verbatim reading, selected

sections, visual cues, scribe, reduced distractions, chunking and frequent breaks.

Lesson Topic: Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) Method

Prior Knowledge: The students have just been introduced to how to create a claim and search

for evidence in text or through internet search.

Alignment:

Standard Objective Assessment Activity(ies)

CCSS:ELA- Students will be able Lesson Assessment: The Activity 1: Formal discussion
LITERACY.RST.6-8.8 to use the Claim, students will complete a as a class on what claims,
Evidence, Reasoning graphic organizer on evidence and reasonings are.
Distinguish among facts, method in order to
honeybees using the
reasoned judgment identify and support Activity 2: Modeling of
CER method.
based on research their argument. completing a Claim-
findings and speculation Questions: Focus on Evidence-Reasoning graphic
in a text. evidence and reasoning organizer as a class with
portions of Claim- ShamWow television
Evidence-Response commercial.
(CER) method
Activity 3: Students will
complete CER graphic
organizer on honeybees with
a partner.

Materials Needed: prepared PowerPoint slides; projector/screen; “ShamWow” worksheet (30);

“Honeybees” worksheet (30); Honeybee video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEzlsjAqADA); ShamWow

commercial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80ne1qRoHyk); student devices

Technology Integration/Needs: The teacher will display the short videos on the

projector/screen. The students will also access Quizizz through their devices.

Lesson Procedure:

Introduction Activity:

Time Allotted: 10 minutes

Description: The teacher will already have the warm-up on the prepared PowerPoint

displayed on the screen. The students will join Quizizz and participate in approximately

10 questions, asking if the statement is either a fact or an opinion. Some of the statements

include: “My favorite animal is the zebra”, “Zebras are mammals” and “Zebras are the

best mammals”. This activity is aimed to help students distinguish whether various

statements can be facts used as evidence or if they are mere opinions.

Adaptations: The teacher will not allow music or pictures to be displayed after answering

each question on the Quizizz to reduce distractions for students to focus better.

Transition: The teacher will ask the students to put away their devices and have a

pen/pencil out while he/she hands out the worksheet titled “ShamWow”.

First Main Activity:

Time Allotted: 5 minutes

Description: The teacher will review the basic definitions of claim, evidence and

reasoning with the class by asking questions such as “what does a claim do?” and “why

do we need evidence?”. The teacher will elicit responses from various students in the

classroom. The teacher will also ask the students if pieces of evidence should be facts or

opinions and ask students to elaborate on their choice.

 Adaptations: The teacher will have the discussion questions written on the board for the

student with hearing loss, as well as those who thrive with visual cues.

Transition: The teacher will inform the students that “now we are going to watch a

commercial, develop a claim based off the commercial and support it with evidence and

reasoning”.

Second Main Activity:

Time Allotted: 15 minutes

Description: The teacher will ask a student to read aloud the question on the

“ShamWow” paper. The teacher will tell the students that “as you watch the commercial,

think about what Vince wants us to”. [Play commercial]. The teacher will ask the

students what Vince wanted them to do and elicit responses (buy the product ShamWow).

The teacher will have the students write this down in the claim box on the graphic

organizer on the worksheet. Then the teacher will have the students “look for pieces of

evidence or ways that Vince convinces you why you should buy the product”. [Play

commercial again]. The teacher will elicit student responses on different pieces of

evidence they saw/heard Vince share in the commercial (i.e. holds 20x its weight in

liquid, 10-year warranty, works wet or dry, etc.). The students will then pick three of

these to write in each of their three evidence boxes on the graphic organizer. Then the

teacher will ask students to explain why that piece of evidence makes them want to buy

the product (the reasoning), which they will fill out as each piece of evidence is discussed

further in detail. The teacher will emphasize how the reasoning is what ties the evidence

back to the claim. Finally, the teacher will guide the students through a short conclusion

sentence on summarizing the claim, evidence and reasonings.

 Adaptations: As the teacher is walking the students through the steps of how to complete

a CER graphic organizer, it will also be listed up on the screen for visual cue reference.

The commercial will also have captions on the screen for the student with hearing loss.

Transition: The teacher will have the students turn to the back side of the “ShamWow”

worksheet where they will find the “Honeybees’ worksheet.

Third Main Activity:

Time Allotted: 20 minutes

Description: The teacher will tell the students that “now that we have done an example of

how to complete the CER organizer together as a class, now I want you to try it out on

your own with a partner. Can I have a volunteer read the question for us?” A student will

read the question “why do honeybees use hexagonal shape for their honeycombs?”. The

teacher will play the video for the students, give them two or three minutes to write down

their claim, and then replay the video for students to listen again for additional pieces of

evidence. The teacher will be circulating around the room to ensure all students are on

track and completing the graphic organizer, offering assistance to students as needed.

Adaptations: The commercial will also have captions on the screen for the student with

hearing loss. The teacher may also help particular students scribe or only do selected

sections of the graphic organizer (i.e. only one or two pieces of evidence rather than

three.

Transition: The teacher will have the students return to their assigned seats and pass up

to turn in the worksheet.

Closing Activity:

Time Allotted: 5 minutes

 Description: The teacher will review what students wrote down for their claim, evidence

and reasonings by asking a few students to share their responses to the class, ensuring

that the class briefly reviews the definition of each term.

Adaptations: The teacher will have the discussion questions written on the board for the

student with hearing loss, as well as those who thrive with visual cues.

Safety Valve: If extra time remains, the teacher will play an alternative version of “2 truths and a

lie” with “2 facts and an opinion”, where the students will write down two facts and one opinion.

Then a few students will share with the class their three statements (in no particular order) and

the class will have to identify which statement is the opinion. This game is to help students

recognize which statements are opinions and should not be used as pieces of evidence in their

CER’s.