Design Blueprint 
 
Implementing the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) 
Framework in the Classroom 
 

Instructional Designers: 
Christy Ballew, Kristy Gamble, Monique Holloway, April Parmer, Topaz Thompson 

Clients’ Information: 
Twenty-eight sixth-grade science students at Sammy McClure Sr. Middle School in 
Dallas, GA 
 

Overview 

Introduction of Topic 

Our topic is the use of the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) Framework in 
the classroom to make and support scientific claims. In this topic, we are going to 
guide students through the process of stating claims, providing evidence to 
support their claims, and then use reasoning methods to tie together the claim 
and the evidence. Students struggle with the ability to support their claims with 
actual textual evidence. The CER framework sets apart guidelines that students 
can follow in order to make this process more understandable. The lessons will be 
based in science for the purpose of this blueprint, however, this method easily 
translates to other subjects as well.  

The purpose of this instruction is to improve student performance in 

making scientific claims by implementing the CER framework. Each module will 
build upon the last, beginning with a basic video introduction of the CER 
framework and ending with a culminating assignment where the students utilize 
the CER method, analyze peer work, and then correct and finalize their own.  

 
 
 

Rationale of Topic 

Based on the 2017-2018 testing results, only 11% of the sixth-grade students in 
Teacher A’s science class were able to make and support scientific claims using 
evidence and reasoning. The desired performance goal is for at least 75% of students to 
successfully make and support scientific claims using the CER framework. This activity 
also supports the following Georgia Common Core Standards:  

● L6-8RST1:​ Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and 

technical texts. 

● L6-8WHST4: ​Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, 

organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 

● S6E6 c:​ Construct an argument evaluating contributions to the rise in global 

temperatures over the past century. 

Description of the Context and the Learners  

Context: 
Sammy McClure Sr. Middle School - Dallas, GA 
Teacher A’s fourth-period science class 
Paulding County School District 
 

Audience:  

● 28 sixth-grade students 
● Females 43% 
Males 57% 
● Caucasian 68% 
African American 25% 
Hispanic 7% 
● On level (no IEP) 78% 
IEP or 504 18% 
Gifted (Advanced) 4% 
  
 
 
 

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Relevant knowledge and skills 

Students have a basic level of understanding of how to use the computer to 
retrieve information but have not been exposed to instruction related to making scientific 
claims. All students possess a basic knowledge of writing standards and are proficient in 
using a computer for writing and research.  

Needs Assessment 

The proposed instruction will close the performance gap by using a variety of 
delivery methods of the CER framework. Students will engage in group and individual 
learning activities and will have the opportunity to provide peer evaluations upon the 
completion of the lesson. Teacher A will provide the initial instruction and later facilitate 
the information for the students put the CER framework into practice. This project-based 
activity is designed to engage the knowledge, creativity, and interest of the students. 
According to Krajchik and Shin (2014), understanding, knowing, and doing must be 
combined in order for students to learn and apply ideas, not only in the classroom but 
also in the real world.  

Design Components 

Instructional Goals 

❏ Recall information related to a specific topic (Knowledge).  

❏ Identify pieces of evidence from various resources (articles, labs, background 
knowledge, class lessons, and notes, etc.) that directly relate to a scientific topic or 
question (Comprehension).  
❏ Make a scientific claim based on evidence from various resources (Application).  
❏ Analyze directly relevant, scientific evidence supporting a scientific claim 
(Analysis).  
❏ Utilize scientific evidence to synthesize reasoning to support a scientific claim via 
a written response (Synthesis).  
❏ Critique the adequacy with which peers make scientific claims and support those 
claims with evidence and reasoning (Evaluation).   

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Instructional Approach 

Project-based Learning/ instruction: A technique often used at the onset of instruction to 
establish instructional targets and raise the interest of the learner by some technique that 
allows the learner to glimpse what the instructional experience will be like. (Texas Tech 
University) This instructional plan will introduce the students the CER framework by 
utilizing a variety of multimedia resources, as well as classroom instruction, to increase 
their interest in the process.  

Course Plan:  

❏ Module 1: It’s Getting Hot 

1. The teacher will introduce the CER Framework to students via an 
informational video​ and the ​Student CER guide 
2. Students will individually complete the interactive activities that accompany 
the informational video.  
3. Students will be placed into groups of 3-4 individuals.  
4. Students will then be instructed to complete the “Getting Hotter” laboratory 
activity so that they may gather information and potential evidence related 
to global warming. During the lab, students will explore how greenhouse 
gases affect the temperature on Earth. Students will answer summarizing 
questions associated with the laboratory activity, recalling information and 
identifying evidence related to the topic of global warming.  
5. To close, the teacher will facilitate a class discussion of the groups’ findings 
from the laboratory activity.   
❏ Module 2: Global Warming 
1. Students will return to their groups from the previous module.  
2. Students will view the video ​“Climate Change with Bill Nye” (4:09)​ to 
introduce the causes and effects of global warming.  
3. The teacher will review the reciprocal teaching strategy that groups are to 
use when analyzing texts (Summarizing, Question Generating, Clarifying, 
Predicting) and hand out role cards. 
4. Students will be given an article related to global warming and asked to 
use the reciprocal teaching strategy to analyze the article.  

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5. Once finished, students will answer questions related to the article and 
global warming via a formative quiz.  
6. The teacher will facilitate a discussion about global warming and its causes, 
leading students to make a claim about the main cause for global warming.  

❏ Module 3: CER Framework Activity - Global Warming: Fact or Fiction  

1. The teacher will review the CER Framework with students (Claim, Evidence, 
and Reasoning), including a ​video example​.  
2. Students will receive a handout with data related to global warming and 
atmospheric greenhouse gasses.  
3. Students will analyze the data with their groups, drawing conclusions and 
making connections.  
4. Students will then be given a CER brainstorming worksheet and instructed 
to answer the following using the CER Framework: “Is global warming fact 
or fiction?”  
5. Each student will utilize his/her brainstorming worksheet to compose a 
paragraph response using evidence and reasoning to support his/her 
scientific claim.  
❏ Module 4: Peer Assessment 
1. Students will review their individual CER responses from the previous 
module and rate/grade themselves based on the rubric.  
2. Students will then use the rubric to assess their peers’ responses (from 
within and outside of their groups). 
3. Students will receive their peers’ reviews and consider their feedback. The 
teacher will close with feedback on students’ success with the CER 
Framework.  

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Instructional Activities 

❏ Module 1 

The objective of Module 1, ​It’s Getting Hot,​ is to introduce the students to the CER 
framework and to give the the opportunity to explore each component on their 
own and in a group setting. During the module, the students will complete the 
following activities.  

1. Watch ​an informational video (As a class) and ​complete ​the activities that 
accompany the video (Individually, online) 
2. Participate​ in the ​It’s Getting Hot​ Lab in small groups of 3-4 students.  
3. Summarize ​lab findings as a group 
4. Present​ lab findings in a class discussion  
❏ Module 2 

The objective of Module 2, ​Global Warming,​ is to introduce the students to the 

reciprocal teaching strategy to help them understand how to properly analyze 
text. During the module, the students will complete the following activities.  

1. Watch​ Climate Change video to introduce the causes and effects of global 
warming.  
2. Read ​Global Warming article and use reciprocal teaching role cards to 
analyze the article.  
❏ Module 3 

The objective of Module 3, ​CER Framework Activity - Global Warming: Fact or 
Fiction, ​is to review the CER framework and for the students to utilize the skills 
that they learned from the previous modules. During the module, the students will 
complete the following activities.  

1. Watch​ Why Air Matters Video 

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2. Complete​ the CER brainstorming worksheet to answer the question “Is 

global warming fact or fiction?”  

Assessment Activities 

❏ Module 1: ​Upon completing the laboratory activity, student groups will answer 
open-ended, short response questions related to the lab and topic of global 
warming. Students will also participate in the online assessment including in the 
CER Informational Video. This will serve as pre-assessment of the students’ 
understanding of CER after a brief introduction. The results of the pre-assessment 
will be compared to the result of the final assessment to gauge the students’ 
understanding of the material.  
❏ Module 2:​ Students will individually take a formative quiz, answering multiple 
choice questions relating to the article and topic of global warming.  
❏ Module 3:​ Students will compose a paragraph response to the following CER 
topic by stating a claim and supporting that claim with evidence and reasoning 
from various resources (Module 1’s lab, Module 2’s article, background 
knowledge, Bill Nye video, data from handout, etc.): “Is global warming fact or 
fiction?” The students will be assessed using the Module 3 rubric. 

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❏ Module 4:​ Students will complete a self-reflection survey.  

Resources  

Student Printed Material and Graphic Illustrations  

● Student CER Guide  

● Global warming article 

● CER Module 3 Rubric 

Other Resources Available to Students 

● Computer access 

Instructor Printed Material and Graphic Illustrations  

● Getting Hotter Teacher Instructions - adapted from  

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● Getting Hotter Student Handout and Summarizing Questions (with answer key) - 
adapted from  

● CER graphic/poster - 
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/540f7597e4b04939fb5b082b/t/56459ec9e
4b0596be10c0ec4/1447403209768/Activate+Learning+CER+Poster+download.pd
f  

● CER Module 3 Rubric 

● Reciprocal teaching graphic/poster 

● Reciprocal teaching role cards 

● Formative quiz (with answer key) 

● Data handout for CER 

Videos  

● Climate Change 101 with Bill Nye | National Geographic  

● CER informational video (Module 1) - ​https://youtu.be/_fY1Qzx6SsQ 
● CER informational/example video (Module 3) - ​Why Air Matters CER Video 

 
 

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References 

STEMscopes Georgia. (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2018, from 

http://www.stemscopes.com/state/ga/ 

Instructional Approaches. ​Texas Tech University Office of the Provost Worldwide 

eLearning​ [PDF file]. Retrieved from 
http://www.tamus.edu/academic/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/07/Instructional-Appr
oaches-Handout-v1.0.pdf 

Georgia Department of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2018, from 

https://www.georgiastandards.org/ 

Reciprocal Teaching Reading and Learning Strategy. ​National Behavior Support Service 
[PDF file]. Retrieved from 
https://www.nbss.ie/sites/default/files/publications/reiciprocal_teaching_strategy_handou
t__copy_2_0.pdf   

Digital Chalkboard. (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2018, from 

https://www.mydigitalchalkboard.org/portal/default/Content/Viewer/Content;jsessionid=h
YZfqMPsyd7eL2-zqPmQ9g**?action=2&scId=504488&sciId=17999 
 
Krajcik, J., & Shin, N. (2014). Project-Based Learning. In R. Sawyer (Ed.), ​The Cambridge 
Handbook of the Learning Sciences​ (Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology, pp. 
275-297). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139519526.018 

[National Geographic]. (2015, December 2). ​Climate Change 101 with Bill Nye | National 
Geographic​ [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/EtW2rrLHs08 

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