CER Lesson

Claims, Evidence, Reasoning

How to engage in scientific argumentation and writing

Claim

Write a statement that completely answers the question.Write a statement that completely answers the question.

Multiple Choice

A student is asked if any of the liquids in the data table are the same liquid. The student claims "Liquid 1 and 2 are different liquids".

What is wrong with the student's claim? Select all that apply.

• The claim isn't a complete sentence.

• The claim doesn't actually answer the question.

• The claim is incorrect.

• There's nothing wrong with the claim.

Multiple Choice

Which claim completely and correctly answers the question "Are any of the liquids in the data table the same liquid?"

• Liquid 1 and 2 are the same liquid.

• Liquid 1 and 3 are the same liquid.

• Liquid 1 and 4 are the same liquid.

• Liquid 2 and 4 are the same liquid.

Evidence

Observations or data that can be used to justify your claim.

Should be relevant and enough to convince someone that your claim is correct.

Categorize

Options (6)

Liquid 1 and 4 have the same density.

Liquid 1 and 2 have the same mass.

Liquid 2 and 4 have the same color.

Liquid 1 and 4 have the same melting point.

Liquid 1 and 4 have different mass.

Liquid 1 and 4 have the same color.

A student has claimed that "Liquid 1 and 4 are the same liquid." They are trying to decide what evidence is relevant to their claim. Distinguish the relevant and irrelevant evidence.

Relevant

Irrelevant

Explain how the evidence supports the claim.

Be as detailed as possible.

Explain Yourself

State definitions of relevant vocabulary in your own words.

State the scientific principles that explain the phenomenon.

​Scientific Principles

Reasoning

Multiple Select

A student claims that "Liquid 1 and 4 are the same liquid." What vocabulary is relevant to their claim?

• Density

• Volume

• Mass

• Boiling Point

• Melting Point

Multiple Choice

A student claims that "Liquid 1 and Liquid 4 are the same liquid." Which sentence best explains the scientific principles needed to answer this question?

• Substances that are the same always have the same mass.

• Substances that are the same share the same properties.

• Substances that are the same sometimes have the same color.

• Substances that are the same can still have different properties.

Multiple Choice

A student claims that "Liquid 1 and Liquid 4 are the same liquid." Which sentence best explains how the data in the table supports this claim?

• Since Liquid 1 and Liquid 4 have different mass they must be the same substance.

• Liquid 1 and Liquid 4 have similar properties.

• Since Liquid 1 and Liquid 4 have the same color, they must be the same substance.

• Since Liquid 1 and 4 have the same color, density, and melting point, they must be the same substance.

Write a C-E-R formatted response.

Earn points using the rubric.

Put it all together

Open Ended

Are any liquids observed in the data table the same?