Teacher: Rachel Valiquette Date: March 24th, 2017

School: Conrad Ball Middle School Grade Level: 6th grade Content Area: Earth Science
Title: CER Lesson #: 3 of

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: (Write Content Standards directly from the standard)
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the
environment.
MS-ESS3-4: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita
consumption of natural resources impact Earths systems.
Common Core Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects Standards:
CCSS RST6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct
from prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS WHST 6-8.1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

1. Students will compare the different forms of renewable and nonrenewable energy. (Blooms analyze)
2. Students will discover the benefits of different forms of renewable and nonrenewable energy. (Blooms apply)
3. Students will discover that human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term
consequences, both positive and negative, for the health of people and the natural environment. (Blooms apply)
4. Students will hypothesize about the effects of the human population and per-capita consumption of natural
resources on Earth. (Blooms create)
5. Students will demonstrate their abilities to complete self-paced research. (Blooms understand)
6. Students will show their ability to follow proper classroom behavior policies by using technology in an
appropriate manner. (Blooms understand)

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of instruction, select applicable
questions from standard)
1. How can your knowledge of energy sources help shape the future?
2. How are the limitations of different forms of technology driven by individual and social needs?
3. How can different technologies reduce the human impact on the environment?
4. What are the different regional factors that limit options for technology use?

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

Every student will be able to: Discuss benefits and challenges related to global and local energy options related to
current events.
This means I can: Choose an alternative energy source that will provide minimal negative impact on Earths
atmosphere.
 Planned Lesson Activities
Name and CER
Purpose of
Lesson The purpose of this lesson is to utilize cross-content material by having the students write a CER
in which they analyze all of the natural resources they researched the past few days and choose
the best option for our environment. This CER, which stands for claim, evidence and reasoning,
will help the students combine their prior knowledge into a paper. This paper will be passed from
the 6th graders onto the 7th graders who will analyze their papers and decide which CERs
provide sufficient evidence to be passed on to the next stage of the project.

Approx. Time Materials: students iPad, energy graphic organizer, CER form
and Materials
Approximate time:
0-5 minutes: Do Now
5-8 minutes: Agenda, Standard, and Learning Target
8-20 minutes: Finish graphic organizer
20-54 minutes: CER

Anticipatory The students follow a routine each morning in which they answer a Do Now question. This
Set questions is typically a simple question in which students will have a variety of answers all
revolving around a similar idea. Using this routine helps students to make connections to what
they learned in the previous day and help them connect those ideas to what they will be learning
about in following lessons. For this Do Now, I will have the students answer the question, How
will you write an effective CER? I came up with this question because I wanted to see what
students saw a CER as. I want students to reach the conclusion that this piece of information will
be passed on to the 7th graders in order for them to give all the necessary information to
determine the best source of energy for our environment. By knowing where the students are
starting with the information for the project, the easier it will be to help guide students through
work and help them choose a resource they are interested in learning about. They will complete
this task in their Do Now folder on their iPads. If a students does not have their iPad present in
class, they are expected to problem solve and use a paper and pencil.

Procedures Teacher Actions Student Actions

0-5 minutes: Do Now

During the first 5 mes of class I will have the students
complete a Do Now activity that they are used to seeing in
their everyday practice. This Do Now question will involve
students answering the question, How will you write an
effective CER? The Do Now will be displayed on the
projector and will also be available in a folder that students
can locate on their iPads. After I have assessed that the
students have completed the Do Now, I will ask some of the
students to share out their answers and we will have an open
discussion about them as a class. I like to give the students
an opportunity to jot down thoughts that they have in regards
to the prompt and then see them make those clarifying
connections when we hold the class discussion.
Check for understanding - Ask some of the students to share
their answers for the Do Now question on molecules.
(Intrapersonal, interpersonal, verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial)

5-8 minutes: Agenda, Standard, and Learning Target

I will explain to the students the agenda for the day. The
agenda will be as follows:
Complete the Do Now activity which asks the
question, How will you write an effective CER?
Discuss the learning target for the day which will be,
Every student will be able to: Discuss benefits and
challenges related to global and local energy options
related to current events. Which means I can:
Choose an alternative energy source that will provide
minimal negative impact on Earths atmosphere.
Graphic organizer completion
CER writing
It is important that I show the students what the assignment
looks like and the important steps they need to remember in
order to prevent taking too much time with individual students
to clarify the procedure.
(verbal/linguistic)

8-20 minutes: Finish Graphic Organizer

The students have previously completed research on natural
resources and became an expert on one natural resource
of their choice. This column should be filled out in their
graphic organizer in which the students talked about if the
resource was a renewable or nonrenewable source as well
as the many benefits of the natural resource. This was their
first introduction to natural resources in which they were
completing research to learn about the different types of
resources. Students then got into groups with students who
chose the same natural resource as them and completed a
sales pitch to the class in which they tried to sell the natural
resource as the best option to the class. After the
presentation, the students had almost all of the natural
resources filled out in their graphic organizer. Today I am
going over the graphic organizer with the students to make
sure they have the correct information in their graphic
organizer and to fill in the gaps for the natural resources that
no student presented on. I believe that this activity held every
student accountable for the information.
Check for understanding within the group
(verbal/linguistic, interpersonal, visual/spatial, intrapersonal)

20-50 minutes: CER

A CER stands for claim, evidence, and reasoning. A CER
provide support for both teachers and students by providing
a systematic approach that divides explanations into three
 logical and manageable components for middle school
students. During the CER writing time, students will be
expected to complete the CER on an individual basis. The
CER will be passed onto the 7th graders as a part of the
cross-grade assignment. The 6th graders know that they are
expected to use their graphic organizers to provide
meaningful information for the 7th graders to analyze.
Check for understanding
(verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal)

Closure The closure of todays lesson will be a class discussion of natural resources. I will encourage
students to share with their table partners as well as with the class what they wrote in their CER
and why the information was relevant.

Differentiation Do Now: During the Do Now, students are allowed to use their notes to answer the prompt.
There are several modes of accessing the daily prompt, such as it is projected on the screen as
well as accessible through their iPads. The students are also encouraged to answer the prompt
using whatever creative outlet they choose.

CER: There are different levels of the CER that students could choose to write. The basic level,
or green level, guided students through the CER and helped students organize their thoughts.
The more challenging levels, blue and black, allows the students chance to earn a better grade
and provides less structure for students to determine how they will present their information and
write their CER.

Assessment Do Now: The Do Now is a basic post-lesson assessment that students complete each morning
to help their understanding of prior knowledge and how they can connect that knowledge to the
days lesson.

Checks for Understanding X3: Throughout the lesson I check in on the students understanding of
the content and assignment and expectations for the day in order to guide each student
individually, or as a whole group, towards what is best for their learning progression.