Course Overview
(6 Hours) In this course, participants will learn the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning strategy for more effective instruction of science concepts in any K-12 science classroom. You will receive step-by-step guidance on implementing the strategy for all students, learn the benefits of the strategy, and be provided with tools and resources to help you plan and guide your students through making evidence-backed conclusions from carefully designed activities that effectively teach critical thinking skills.
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Course Guiding Question
How will the CER strategy improve my science students’ ability to use data and observations to formulate claims backed by well-structured activities and data collection?

What You Will Learn In This Course
- What CER is and how to implement it in your classroom
- How to adapt CER assignments for students needing modifications
- How to assess student CER responses

How Our Courses Work:

Kim Anderson, Instructor
Education:
M.S. Public Health
University of Texas Health Science Center
B.S. Microbiology
Texas A&M University
Experience & Credentials:
Over 12 Years of Teaching Experience
Current Science Instructional Coach
National Science Foundation GK-12 Fellow Teacher
G/T, Special Needs Experience & Science 8-12 Certified
STATE CERTIFIED TEACHER

Wendy Lipe, Co-Instructor
Education:
B.S. Interdisciplinary Studies
Southwest Texas State University
Experience & Credentials:
Over 8 Years of Teaching Experience
Current Elementary-Level Teacher
ESL State Certified (Texas), TAG Certified
Experience with Students with Learning Disabilities
(ADD, ADHD, & Dyslexia)
STATE CERTIFIED TEACHER

CPE Hours
At the conclusion of the course, you will receive a certificate for 6 CPE hours. Model Teaching and Action Potential Learning is a Statewide, TEA (Texas Education Agency) approved provider for Continuing Professional Education credit. CPE# 902-391

Helpful Resources & Templates Included in the Course
The course comes with 21 templates, tools, worksheets, and graphic organizers, including pre-completed samples ready to be used in your classroom! These include:
- CER Reference
- Activity Alignment Checklist
- Student Reasoning Organizer
- Question Checklist Tool
- CER Modification Template
- CER Grading Rubric
- CER Activity Template
- CER Card Sort Tool
- Reasoning Challenges Reference Sheet
- Question Writing Template
- CER Student Graphic Organizer
- CER Lesson Plan Template
- Evidence Reference Guide
- CER Evidence Template
- Reasoning Template
- CER Modification Reference Guide
- CER Discussion Guide
-
Effectivness Rubric

Course Sections:
Section 1 - Introduction to Claim, Evidence, Reasoning & Scientific Argumentation
- The Meaning of CER
- Exactly What is Included in Each of the Three Components: Claim, Evidence, & Reasoning
- How to Use CER in the Classroom
Section 2.1 - The Claim
- What Makes a Solid Claim, How to Introduce Claim Writing to Your Students, How to Create an Activity That Supports a Strong Claim
Section 2.2 - The Evidence
- What is Included in the Evidence Component of CER, How to Identify and Define Relevant Evidence, How to Verify the Evidence in Labs will Support the Claim
Section 2.3 - The Reasoning
- What is Included in the Reasoning Section, How to Introduce the Reasoning Section to Students, Challenges Your Students May Face When Writing the Reasoning Section
Section 3 - How to Write an Appropriate Question for CER Responses
- How to Write an Effective CER Question
- How to Edit Ineffective CER Questions so They Will Lead to Solid Claim Writing
Section 4 - Modifications for CER
- Why CER Assignments May Need to Be Modified
- Ways to Modify the CER Process
Section 5 - CER Implementation
- How to Introduce CER Into Your Classroom
- Teaching Strategies You Can Use to Implement CER
- How to Provide Feedback to Your Students as They Are Writing a CER Response
- How to Grade CER Responses