Department of Mathematics and Science

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER)How do snowflakes form?

Mary Tweedy, Curriculum Support SpecialistKeisha Kidd, Curriculum Support Specialist

Millard Lightburn, Ph.D., District Supervisor K-5

Department of Mathematics and Science

Benchmark FocusScience

• SC.5.E.7.3 Recognize how air temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, and precipitation determine the weather in a particular place and time.

• SC.5.E.7.4 Distinguish among the various forms of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, and hail) making connections to the weather in a particular place and time. (Assessed as SC.5.E.7.3.)

Common Core Integration• LACC.5.W.3.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support

analysis, reflection, and research.• LACC.5.SL.1.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-

one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

• LACC.K12.L.3.4 : Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

Department of Mathematics and Science

Department of Mathematics and Science

Claims

Claims are the statements that answer your original question.

• The claim must be accurate, specific, and answer the question.

• The claim is usually one sentence in length.

Department of Mathematics and Science

EvidenceThe evidence is all the scientific data that supports your claim.• It can come from a variety of sources such as: textbook, reading selections, videos, lab investigations, class notes, etc.• It should include both qualitative and

quantitative data.• It is important to have numerous pieces of

evidence in order to prove your claim.

Department of Mathematics and Science

Reasoning• Reasoning is the explanation that connects your

claim to the evidence that supports it or why you think your claim (answer to the question) is correct .

• It shows why the data you chose counts as evidence.• It shows a detailed understanding of the scientific

principles involved and uses correct science vocabulary.

• This explanation acts as a conclusion. • If evidence is from an experiment, it can be the

“conclusion” of the lab.• It is usually several sentences in length.

Department of Mathematics and Science

How Snowflakes Form Resources

• Grade 5 McGraw-Hill Reading Wonders Literature Anthology: The Story of Snow Unit 3 Week 3 pp. 216-231

http://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/connected/login.do User Name: wondersfl Password: wonders2014• Discovery Education Reading: Where Do Snowflakes Come From?• Animated Video: How does it snow? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJwHzEcvT5w

• Video: How does snow form? (Comparing snow to sleet): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl7K4D3ccfE

• NBC LEARN: How Snowflakes Form (And Yes, Each One is Different)• How Do Snowflakes Form? http://geology.com/articles/snowflakes/

• A snowflake primer: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/primer/primer.htm

Department of Mathematics and Science

What do you know about snow?

How does it snow?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJwHzEcvT5w

Department of Mathematics and Science

Gr. 5 McGraw-Hill Reading Wonders Literature Anthology:

Discovery Education Reading:Where Do Snowflakes Come From?

Department of Mathematics and Science

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER)

Assignment: Write a scientific explanation that answers this question: How do snowflakes form?

Claim (Write a sentence that states how snowflakes form.)

Evidence: (Provide data about the weather conditions including quantitative data to support your claim about how snowflakes form.)

Reasoning: (Write a statement that connects your evidence to your claim about how snowflakes form.)

Department of Mathematics and Science

Getting Started:Prewriting Science Ideas

• What is a possible claim?• What science words will you want to include?• Where will you look for your evidence?• What sentence starters can you use to present

your evidence?• What reasons show that this is good evidence?• What writing words can you use?

Department of Mathematics and Science

Show Your EvidenceSentence Starters

• According to the text…• On page ___, it said …• The author wrote…• For instance…• From the reading, I know that…• Based on what I read…• The graphic showed…• For example…

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Writing Words

• “Uncertainty” words: usually, generally, suggests, indicates

• Sequencing words: first, second, third• Therefore• Because• If… Then…• However

Department of Mathematics and Science

CER Grading Rubric

Providing Feedback on a Student’s CER

WHAT TO COMMENT ON: HOW TO COMMENT:

• Components of the explanation:

- claim - evidence - reasoning• Science content of explanation• Holistic quality of explanation

• Explicit and clear feedback• Point out strengths and

weaknesses• Provide suggestions on how to

improve• Ask questions to promote

deeper thinking

Department of Mathematics and Science

Department of Mathematics and Science

When can a CER be used?

• Use it to engage in structured, argumentation to explain a scientific concept.

• Use it after an experiment to explain why a hypothesis was proven correct or not.

• Use it to justify an answer choice for a multiple (FCAT type) test question is correct.

• Use it to discuss claims made in videos or documentaries.

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After an Experiment

Department of Mathematics and Science

Multiple Choice Question • Claim – The correct answer choice is …• Evidence - Facts from background information - Data from the table or graph if applicable• Reasoning - Reasons for excluding other answer choices - Scientific background knowledge that explains why the answer is correct beyond what is given in the graph, table or background information.

Department of Mathematics and Science

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning after Viewing a Video or a Documentary

• What is the claim the reporter is making? • What evidence does he or she cite in the

report that supports that claim? • What is the scientific explanation?

Department of Mathematics and Science

CER Resources• McNeill, K. L. & Krajcik, J. 2011. Supporting grade 5-8

students in constructing explanations in science: The claim, evidence and reasoning framework for talk and writing. New York, NY: Pearson & Bacon.

• McNeill, K. and Martin, D. 2011. Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning: Demystifying data during a unit on simple machines. Science and Children, 48(8).

• cosmos.bgsu.edu/nwoSymposium/2013%20stuff/PresenterMaterial/Claim%20Evidence%20Reasoning%20(Elizabeth%20Buckholtz)%20NWO%20Symposium,%202013.pdf