Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) How do snowflakes form? Mary Tweedy, Curriculum Support Specialist Keisha Kidd, Curriculum Support Specialist Millard Lightburn, Ph.D., District Supervisor K-5

Common Core Integration Benchmark Focus Science 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

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 Choose from the resources listed above to provide students with information to answer the question. All the resources will not need to be used, but students will likely need to review more than one to find the information needed.

What do you know about snow? How does it snow? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJwHzEcvT5w

Gr. 5 McGraw-Hill Reading Wonders Literature Anthology: Discovery Education Reading: Where Do Snowflakes Come From?

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.)   You will also communicate what you know by making a scientific explanation. When you make a scientific explanation, be sure to include what your question is, the evidence that helps  answer your question, your claim, or what you think the answer is, your reasoning, or  why you think the answer is correct.

Division of Academics – Department of Science Getting Started First think about: Use your resources: What is a possible claim? Where can you find your evidence? What science words will you want to include? Where can you find science and other words to help you write? Observations and data from hands-on activities Videos Reading passages Science notebook Your textbook Classroom charts, word walls and bulletin boards CER anchor chart: Ask students how they think they should get started. Ask what is a possible claim? Ask students what resources they have that will help them? If necessary, point out the anchor charts, word walls, and notes / activities in their science notebooks. Say let’s see how a textbook page can help. See next slide. Division of Academics – Department of Science

Division of Academics – Department of Science Writing Scaffolds Sentence Starters: Writing Words: My evidence to support my claim is… The data… According to the text… On page ___, it said … The author wrote… For instance… From the reading, I know that… The graphic showed… For example… My evidence supports my claim because… My claim is true because… “Uncertainty” words: usually, generally, suggests, indicates Sequencing words: first, second, third, Next, last Therefore Because If… Then… However CER Anchor Charts Division of Academics – Department of 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